Chicken Breasts with Apricot-Miso Glaze

You don’t need a whole lot of ingredients to create a whole lot of flavor. In the spirit of keeping it simple, this recipe combines only five ingredients for a deliciously rich—and deceptively complex—glaze for easy pan-cooked chicken breasts.

Miso is a salty, sweet, creamy condiment used in various Asian cuisines, especially Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. It makes a flavorful base for glazes, sauces, and dressings, and takes basic soup broth to a new level. What exactly is miso? Fermented soybean paste, typically made from a combination of soybeans, ground rice, salt, and water.

Miso

Here, I sautéed some shallot and garlic in a little olive oil, then mixed in miso, sweet and fruity apricot preserves, and a bit of butter to mellow the sweetness and add silky texture. How simple can it get?

Tip: Miso is available in some larger supermarkets with ample international products, or you can easily find it in Asian markets. Look in the refrigerated section.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tsp finely chopped shallot
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tbsp yellow or white miso
• 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Preparation

1. Heat a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic and shallot and sauté 2 minutes.
2. Add the preserves, miso, and butter and bring to a light simmer, stirring well to incorporate the miso. (Note: There’s no need to salt the sauce because there’s plenty in the miso. Taste it—you’ll see!) Reduce the heat to low and cook until the preserves have melted and the glaze is slightly thick, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside while the chicken cooks.

Garlic and Shallot

Miso, Preserves, and Butter Added

Apricot-Miso Glaze

1. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, swirling to coat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook until golden on the bottom, 5-6 minutes.
2. Turn the breasts over and cook until golden on the other side and just cooked through, 5-6 minutes longer, depending on thickness. (Tip: Lay a sheet of aluminum foil lightly over the skillet to help retain moisture as the chicken finishes.) Add the glaze to the skillet and turn the chicken breasts a few times to coat.

Chicken Beginning to Cook

After Turning

Divide the chicken breasts among 4 plates, spooning any remaining glaze from the pan on top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve right away.

Chicken Breasts with Apricot-Miso Glaze