Maple Coriander Chicken Skillet

My kids are gone. For two days. I have nothing to do. Gone. Do I seem lost? Kind of, but not really. Just a tad. After a blissful morning of no one peeking up at me in the dark of 6:30 am or someone shouting from their crib: MAHHHHHOM! GET ME OUT OF HERE! I'm feeling ready to conquer anything!

Try cleaning the toy box out with the little hands peeking in saying: YOU CAN'T GET RID OF THIS!!! Oh, this McDonald's toy that you played with once and does nothing? Yeah, that one! You can't get rid of that! Oh, but you're not here...so I'm going to!!! Then I'm going to cook a beautiful dinner for Travis and I, like Maple Coriander Chicken Skillet, sit in peace while leisurely eating and I'm going to seriously relish every second and I'm going to miss you so much.

This chicken skillet (one pot dish, yay!) has chicken breasts sauteed and covered in a beautiful tomato sauce flavored with maple, soy and coriander. It calls for fresh tomatoes, if you don't have fresh tomatoes - because I know its pretty much too late in our season - you could use stewed tomatoes. Just make sure to cook off all the liquid. 

You'll be excited to bust out the mortar and pestle and give it a good go (I've been stalking Jamie Oliver on Instagram and he is soo funny!). Pulverizing those little coriander seeds into dust was perfect kitchen therapy. No mortar and pestle? Use a coffee grinder. 

The most delicious sauce you will pour over your sauteed chicken. Soy, maple syrup and the crushed coriander. 

The last of my CSA boxes have been delivered [insert sob here - grocery shopping for produce has never been more depressing]. Beautiful heirloom tomatoes, sweeter than candy, which will NEVER be at the grocery store this winter, or summer, for that matter! We're looking at the last fresh tomato I'll eat until June of next year. Bright side of that is the oven roasted tomatoes and the charred tomato sauce  in my freezer. For the onion, I used three smallish shallots, because that's what I had on hand. You could also use a small red onion or a sweet Vidalia onion would work, too.

The chicken gets sliced in half lengthwise for faster cooking time.  

Shallots getting yummy.

Tomatoes getting yummy.

Supreme Orzo from Papparadelle's Pasta in Pike's Market, Seattle. Thanks to my husband's sweet mother, Sharon.

Make sure to cook your tomatoes dry. See that little gully in the middle? That's what your skillet should look like when you slice your spoon down the middle of the pan. Tomatoes are ready for the soy, maple, coriander sauce. 

Add your delicious syrup. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble.

Hot tub party for chicken. 

Dig in. This is me eating lunch. This chicken is sooo yummy! So moist and the sauce is just so sweet and tangy from the little bit of red wine vinegar you add at the end. Serve with orzo, rice or other small pasta shape. You will enjoy!

Printable Recipe Here

Maple Coriander Chicken Skillet
serves 4

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 20 minutes

3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 small shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, soy sauce and crushed coriander seeds and set aside. In a heavy bottom skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to hot skillet, cooking on both sides until browned and almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from skillet and reserve on a plate.

To hot skillet add minced shallot and saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and saute until skillet is almost dry with no remaining liquid, about 10 minutes. Add maple-soy mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbly. Add vinegar to skillet and reserved chicken, cook for about 3-4 more minutes, until cooked through and flavors have combined. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with orzo, rice or other small pasta shape.