Serves: 4 Prep: 10 min Bake: 15 min Total: 25 min Cal: 257

INGREDIENTS

For The Chicken:

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 4 fillets
• 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning*
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil (for cooking)

For The Topping:

• 4 Roma tomatoes finely chopped
• 1/4 of a red onion finely chopped (or 3 cloves finely chopped garlic)
• 4 tablespoons shredded fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt to taste
• ½ cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese

Balsamic Glaze: (you can use store bought, or this recipe)

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar (OPTIONAL)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Season chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic and salt. Heat oil in a grill pan or skillet, and sear chicken breasts over medium-high heat until browned on both sides and cooked through (about 6 minutes each side). Remove from pan; set aside and allow to rest.
• Combine the tomatoes, red onion, basil, olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt. Top each chicken breast with the tomato mixture and parmesan cheese.
• Serve immediately with balsamic glaze (optional).

For The Balsamic Glaze:

• (If making from scratch, prepare while chicken is cooking.) Combine sugar (if using) and vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes or until mixture has thickened and reduced to a glaze. (If not using sugar, allow to reduce for 12-15 minutes on low heat).

NOTES

*If you don’t have Italian seasoning, use Italian dried herbs. Or combine 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and 1 teaspoon dried parsley together.

YIELD4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken
• 1 cup kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt
• 2 (1 1/2 lb) bone-in skin-on chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• Sage-Vermouth Sauce
• 1 large shallot, minced (about 4 tablespoons)
• 3/4 cup canned chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth
• 4 medium fresh sage leaves, each torn in half
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
• salt & fresh ground pepper

PREPARATION

1. For chicken, dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold tap water in a large bowl: submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 30 minutes. Rinse chicken pieces under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season with pepper. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450°F. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed 12-inch ovenproof Skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; swirl skillet to coat with oil. Brown chicken skin-side down until deep golden, about 5 minutes; turn chicken pieces and brown until golden on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Turn chicken skin-side down and place in oven. Roast until juices run clear when chicken is cut with a paring knife, or thickest part registers 160°F on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter, and let rest while making sauce. SAUCE: using potholder to protect hands from hot skillet handle, pour off most of fat from skillet; add shallot, then set skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until shallot is softened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add chicken broth, vermouth, and sage; increase heat to high and simmer rapidly, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour accumulated chicken juices into skillet, reduce heat to medium, and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time; season to taste with salt and pepper and discard sage. Spoon sauce around chicken breast and serve immediately.

Serves: 6 Prep: 20 min Bake: 25 min Total: 45 min Cal: 375

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
• 12 6-inch corn tortillas*
• 1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 Tbsp salsa verde
• 3 oz cream cheese (regular or light), diced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat tortillas in a 12-inch non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat about 10 – 15 seconds per side (until tortillas become more pliable), then immediately transfer to an airtight container or plate and cover with a pan lid**. Repeat with remaining tortillas and set aside.
2. In same skillet heat 1/2 Tbsp of the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until soft and slightly golden, about 4 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sautéing. 
3. Remove skillet from heat, then add salsa verde and cream cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low, and return skillet to heat. Cook stirring constantly until cream cheese has melted.
4. Add in chili powder, paprika, cumin, lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in shredded chicken, cilantro and Monterey jack cheese.
5. Spread about a scant 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in a row, closer to one side of the tortilla (about 1-inch from edge), then snuggly roll tortilla to opposite side. 
6. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture, spacing tortillas at least 1-inch apart on baking sheet for even toasting.
7. Brush tops and sides of rolled tortillas lightly with remaining 1 Tbsp canola oil. Bake in preheated oven until edges are golden brown and taquitos are crisp, about 18 – 20 minutes. Serve warm with dipping of choice (i.e. sour cream, salsa verde, guacamole, tomato salsa, hot sauce).

Recipe Notes

• *I don’t recommend using the corn tortillas they’ve recently come out with that are now “softer and improved.” The more firm tortillas actually work better here and don’t break as much.
• **This is done to seal in moisture. Be sure it’s a lid that will basically seal on bottom, as in there shouldn’t be any space between the plate and the lid. This should prevent tortillas from cracking.