Chicken with Vinegar

Saute of Chicken Breasts with Vinegar
from Cooking One on One by John Ash

4 skin-on boneless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 TBSP olive oil
5 TBSP butter
3 TBSP chopped shallots or green onions
1 TBSP finely chopped garlic
1/3 cup cider vinegar (or red or white wine vinegar)
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 TBSP tomato paste
2 tsp freshly chopped tarragon leaves
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Lightly season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a saute pan large enough to hold the breasts in one layer, heat the olive oil and 2 TBSP of the butter over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pan skin side down and cook until golden brown. Turn over and cook until just done - about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and keep warm.

Add shallots and garlic to pan and saute until soft and just beginning to brown. Add the vinegar and stock, stirring to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and reduce the liquid over high heat until lightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the tomato paste and and chicken juices from the platter, then take the pan off the heat and whisk in the remaining 3 TBSP of butter. Stir in the herbs and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the pan sauce around the chicken and serve immediately.

Notes: This came out fine, but I found it rather too mild for my palate. I wanted the herbs to have a bolder impact. I'm not sure I'll end up making it again since I have so many great pan sauces to choose from.