Orange Balsamic Chicken Tenders

My college friend Cheryl posted something the other day on Facebook about a snack of cucumbers in orange-balsamic vinegar. You can buy it online, but I didn’t want to wait for shipping, so I started coming up with ways I could incorporate those flavors into a quick, light dinner or appetizer. The sauce is an adaptation from Martha Holmberg’s Modern Sauces. Using chicken tenderloins means the dish cooks in record time – just a quick boil to reduce the balsamic vinegar mix and cook the chicken and then a quick swirl of butter to complete the sauce. I made this at the end of a 10-hour workday and evening gym session and it came together so quickly, there wasn’t even a moment to change out of my workout clothes. At the same time, the flavors are nothing short of sophisticated. No honey, no sugar, just the juice of an orange to balance the earthy vinegar and herbs.

You’ll need:

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• Juice from 1 orange
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp crushed rosemary
• 1 lb chicken tenderloin strips
• Salt and pepper

The butter needs to be super cold when you go to add it into the dish later, so I start by putting my butter in the freezer. It will be nice and chilled by the time we are ready for it.

Combine the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, shallot, ground ginger and rosemary.

Pour the mixture over the chicken tenderloin strips in a nonstick skillet.

Cook on high for approximately 8 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through, flipping frequently.

Remove the skillet from the heat. The balsamic mixture should have reduced considerably to about a tablespoon of liquid and the rest of your pan should have patches of thick balsamic syrup.

Get your butter out of the freezer and using a fork, swirl it throughout the pan, making sure to rub it across any areas where the balsamic mixture has turned into syrup.

The cool butter and sticky syrup will combine to create a velvety sauce.

Plate your chicken, which is now perfectly cooked and juicy from the residual heat, and pour the rich sauce over the top.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Orange Balsamic Chicken Tenders

 

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Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

12 mins

 

Fast and easy, juicy chicken tenderloin strips in a rich orange-balsamic sauce spiced with ginger and rosemary. Perfect appetizer or light dinner.

Author: Tekesha @ EatMoreFoodProject

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
• Juice from 1 orange
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp crushed rosemary
• 1 lb chicken tenderloin strips
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. The butter needs to be super cold when you go to add it into the dish later, so I start by putting my butter in the freezer. It will be nice and chilled by the time we are ready for it.
2. Combine the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, shallot, ground ginger and rosemary.
3. Pour the mixture over the chicken tenderloin strips in a nonstick skillet.
4. Cook on high for approximately 8 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through, flipping frequently.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat. The balsamic mixture should have reduced considerably to about a tablespoon of liquid and the rest of your pan should have patches of thick balsamic syrup.
6. Get your butter out of the freezer and using a fork, swirl it throughout the pan, making sure to rub it across any areas where the balsamic mixture has turned into syrup.
7. Plate your chicken, which is now perfectly cooked and juicy from the residual heat, and pour the rich sauce over the top.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 433 Fat: 24.5 Saturated fat: 14.7 Carbohydrates: 6.7 Sugar: 3.8 Protein: 46.6 Cholesterol: 158

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