Balsamic Chicken With Vegetable Ragout

For The Reduction Liquid

½ cup zesty italian dressingyes you can use the packet, or from scratch is posted here.

⅓ cup 25 year aged balsamic vinegar

3 tsp wildflower honey

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

End

¼ cup olive oildivided

to coat kosher salt

to coat black pepper

4 medium chicken breast cutletswashed and dried

½ cup dry white wineviognier

Vegetable Ragout

32 asparagus spearstrimmed and cut into thirds

2 cups carrotsmatch sticked

½ cup grape tomatoeshalved

2 tsp quality olive oil

Garnish

2 tbsp fresh basilchiffinade (roll the leaf up, slice at a diagonal to make strips)

Mix dressing, balsamic, honey and red pepper flakes together. Whisk or blend very well.

If you have big breasts, do two at a time, don't overcrowd. Place half the olive oil in a large skillet to medium heat. Cook 5 minutes each side and remove to warming plate. Cook next two, adding oil if needed.

Raise heat to medium high and de-glaze pan with white wine, (scrapping anything that is stuck to the bottom and sides). Reduce to almost completely gone, but nothing sticking again.

Reduce heat to back to medium. By now the resting breasts have probably shrunk enough to get all four in the skillet, so place all four in the skillet and add 1/2 of the reduction liquid and cook another 5 minutes a side. Remove everything to warming plate.

To your heated pan; add a couple tablespoons of olive oil, heat to medium high heat.
Add carrots, asparagus and tomato halves, salt and pepper to taste. (I sometimes toss in a small amount of roasted garlic here)
Let saute for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Remove to another warming plate.

In heated pan you just used, add the other half of the liquid and let reduce for a couple minutes until beginning to thicken.

Plate vegetables, top with chicken breast, top with balsamic reduction.
Garnish with basil chiffonade.

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Balsamic Chicken With Vegetable Ragout