A bare shelf means pantry cooking, so here is barbecue chicken built on the sauce you have. Pickled onions cut the sweetness and add brightness to a quick weeknight dinner that tastes like you planned ahead.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 720 calories a serving, 53 g protein, 61 g carbohydrate, 28 g fat. From USDA figures for 88% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

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1. Slice 1 medium red onion into thin rings and place in a small bowl. Pour 1/4 cup [60 ml] distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup [60 ml] water over the onion with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let sit while you cook.
2. Pat 1 pound boneless chicken breasts dry and season both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the chicken and cook without moving for 6 minutes.6 min
3. Flip the chicken and cook 5 minutes longer until golden on the second side. Mince 2 cloves garlic and stir into 1 cup barbecue sauce.5 min
4. Pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 8 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken once halfway through, until it reads 165°F [74°C] at the thickest part.8 min
5. Stir 1 tablespoon butter into the pan sauce off the heat. Transfer chicken to plates and spoon the pan sauce over it.
6. Top each portion with 2 tablespoons of the pickled onions and serve warm.

Note Swap boneless thighs for breast meat; they stay moist and take the same time. Leftovers keep three days in an airtight container and reheat gently in a skillet. Serve with rice or toasted bread to catch the sauce, and any vegetables on hand.