A weeknight chicken that relies on one shelf bottle for its sauce: balsamic-blood orange glaze turns quick-cooking breasts into something worth the drive home. The pan does double duty as skillet and sauce boat.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 440 calories a serving, 62 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 15 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Pat 2 chicken breasts dry with paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
2. Lay the chicken in the pan and cook until the underside is golden and releases easily, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until the chicken is cooked through at 165°F (74°C), about 5 minutes more. While the second side cooks, measure 1/3 cup of the glaze into a small bowl.10 min
3. Pour the glaze around the chicken in the skillet, turn the heat to medium, and tilt the pan to coat both pieces evenly. Cook, spooning the glaze over the chicken, until it clings to the surface and the pan is glossy, about 2 minutes.2 min
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour any remaining glaze from the pan over the pieces. Tear a small handful of fresh thyme or parsley over the top and serve from the skillet or plate.

Note Swap the chicken for pork tenderloin or thick fish fillets, cooking until just done. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and reheat gently in a low oven. Serve with buttered rice or crusty bread to catch every drop of glaze.