This sweet and sour chicken dish pairs boneless chicken tenderloins with a light, chunky tomato sauce flavored with Mediterranean-style ingredients like green olives, capers, golden raisins and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Serve over farfalle or your favorite cut of pasta for an uniquely flavored one-dish pasta dinner.
Mediterranean Sweet and Sour Chicken
Served over pasta, these pan-seared chicken tenderloins are simmered in a sweet and tangy sauce made with diced tomatoes, green olives, capers and golden raisins.
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 lbs chicken tenderloins, about 8 pieces
- 1/2 cup flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives, halved
- 1-1/2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 8 ounces farfalle, or penne, rotini, cooked and drained
Instructions
- Trim any white tendons from the chicken tenderloins and combine the flour with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Dredge each tenderloin in the flour mixture, shake off the excess and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until barely golden, 1-1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute longer. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, scraping up any browned bits that may have accumulated on the bottom.
- Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes, raisins, olives and capers. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the parsley.
- Return the chicken to the pan and turn the tenderloins over once or twice to coat them with the pan juices. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, 3 to 4 minutes.
- To serve, plate individual portions of cooked pasta and top with sauce and a couple of tenderloins. Spoon a little more sauce over the top and garnish with extra parsley if desired.
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