Maple-Balsamic Chicken Recipe in 30 Minutes

Name: Maple-Balsamic Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 440 g skinless chicken breast fillets, 4 pieces; 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 2 tbsp maple syrup; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tbsp olive oil; 60 ml unsalted chicken stock; 1 tsp cornflour, mixed with 1 tbsp cold water; ¼ tsp black pepper

The Case for Maple-Balsamic Chicken

Pound the breasts to an even thickness first. Everything else follows from that. A thick end and a thin end cook at different speeds, so the thin end dries out while the thick end is still pink, and a few firm presses with a rolling pin make the whole fillet cook in the same few minutes.

The sauce is only four things: balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and garlic. Do not let the maple burn. Add the sauce once the chicken is browned and the heat is turned down, and it will bubble into a glossy glaze in about 4 minutes. Unsalted stock loosens it, and a little cornflour holds it together at the end.

Balsamic and maple balance each other: one is sharp, the other sweet, and between them they stand in for salt. Dijon brings a savoury edge. Spoon the sauce over the sliced chicken and serve it with plain rice and steamed green beans, which keep the plate modest in potassium and phosphorus.

What to Put on the Table With Maple-Balsamic Chicken

Steamed white rice
Green beans
A cucumber salad

How to Cook Maple-Balsamic Chicken

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Put the chicken between two sheets of baking parchment and pound to an even thickness of about 2 cm.
Stir the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, garlic and thyme together in a small bowl. Add the pepper.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes a side, until golden. Lower the heat.
Pour in the sauce and stock and simmer for 4 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the centre of the thickest piece reaches 74°C.
Stir in the cornflour mixture and bubble for 1 minute, until the sauce is glossy. Rest the chicken for 3 minutes, slice and spoon over the sauce.

A Few Notes

Pound with the flat side of a rolling pin so that the meat stays in one piece.

If the sauce reduces too far, stir in a spoonful of water or unsalted stock.

Slice the chicken across the grain so that each piece stays tender.

If You're Missing Something

An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock makes this meat-free without changing the method, if that is what you need.
Fresh herbs work in place of the dried thyme at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Storing and Reheating

Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water so that the sauce loosens.

Maple-Balsamic Chicken: Your Questions Answered

How long does Maple-Balsamic Chicken take to make?

About 30 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.

What are the key tips for making Maple-Balsamic Chicken?

Pound with the flat side of a rolling pin so that the meat stays in one piece. If the sauce reduces too far, stir in a spoonful of water or unsalted stock. Slice the chicken across the grain so that each piece stays tender.

What should I serve with Maple-Balsamic Chicken?

Steamed white rice; Green beans; A cucumber salad.

How should Maple-Balsamic Chicken be stored?

Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water so that the sauce loosens.

Is Maple-Balsamic Chicken suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, kidney-friendly, low-carb and keto. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Maple-Balsamic Chicken?

About 203 kcal per serving, with 25 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate and 7 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

Maple-Balsamic Chicken Nutrition Facts

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

203Calories

25gProtein

10gCarbs

7gFat

0gFibre

7gSugar

110mgSodium

470mgPotassium

250mgPhosphorus

Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Kidney-Friendly Low-Carb Keto

Why this is labelled Kidney-Friendly

A serving has about 110 mg sodium, 470 mg potassium and 250 mg phosphorus, with 25 g of protein.

The label means a serving stays inside fixed limits: 500 mg of sodium, 700 mg of potassium and 350 mg of phosphorus, with no cured meat, salt substitute, stock cube or processed cheese in the ingredients. Those are roughly a quarter to a third of the daily limits many kidney diets use.

This describes the recipe and is not medical advice. Limits for sodium, potassium, phosphorus and protein depend on the stage of kidney disease, your blood results and whether you are on dialysis, and protein is restricted at some stages and increased at others. The potassium and phosphorus figures are estimates from standard food tables and cannot see additives in packaged foods. Ask your kidney care team or renal dietitian before making a dish part of your plan.

Maple-Balsamic Chicken

What to Put on the Table With Maple-Balsamic Chicken

How to Cook Maple-Balsamic Chicken

A Few Notes

If You're Missing Something

Storing and Reheating

Maple-Balsamic Chicken: Your Questions Answered

Maple-Balsamic Chicken Nutrition Facts

Reader Reviews

Cooked this? Leave a review

What to Put on the Table With Maple-Balsamic Chicken

How to Cook Maple-Balsamic Chicken

A Few Notes

If You're Missing Something

Storing and Reheating

Maple-Balsamic Chicken: Your Questions Answered

Maple-Balsamic Chicken Nutrition Facts

Reader Reviews

Cooked this? Leave a review

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