Veggie by Season: Dinner Challenge: Balsamic Apricot Chicken with Asparagus and Cous Cous

Welcome!

Thanks for stopping by Veggie by Season!

This blog was formerly A Year in the Kitchen. When I began blogging, the intention was to chronicle my first year in the kitchen as a married gal. I had so much fun that it lasted three wonderful years.

My life has changed a lot in those three years though, and so has my blogging style and content. I was a former vegetarian for 7 years, but began a bit of meat again in college and for two years post graduation. Over the past year, I began phasing it out of my diet, and went back to vegetarian in April.

I invite you to read the About the Author page for more information about me and my blog, just click on the link above!

Thanks for reading, Ash

For the last night of my dinner challenge, I wanted to do something a little fancier and something that could be made quickly and cheaply for Valentine’s Day.
I love balsamic vinegar glazed on my asparagus and on chicken, and I love the sweet and savory combo, so I decided to make an apricot balsamic glaze.
A super easy, quick starch side is cous cous, which goes really well with the chicken and asparagus. Sometimes I like to buy plain cous cous and flavor it, but tonight I went with a box of whole wheat garlic cous cous.

Balsamic Apricot glazed Chicken with Asparagus and Cous Cous

2 chicken breasts, pounded thin (on sale for $2.49/lb.)

Salt and pepper
½ c. Balsamic Vinegar (Used 1/4 of the bottle, which I had, so about $1)
1 tbsp. honey (Already had a large bottle, so about $.50)
10 dried apricots, minced (in the bulk bin, 1/4 lb. for $1.25)

1/4 tsp. dried or fresh rosemary (had dried on hand, sub any herb you have)
1 lb. asparagus spears (On sale this week for $1.28/lb, sub green beans or any veggie on sale)
1 box of whole wheat cous cous ($2.99)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Preheat large nonstick skillet to medium-high heat.
In a small pot over medium, add vinegar, apricots, rosemary and honey. Reduce.
Pound chicken in plastic, season with salt and pepper. Add to nonstick sillet and brown each side, about 5-6 minutes.
Toss asparagus with salt, pepper and EVOO. Roast for 10 minutes (I don't wait for the oven to preheat, I get them in asap).
In another small pot, add 2 c. water and bring to a boil. Add cous cous and seasonings, turn heat off and cover. Set aside.
When chicken is cooked, turn heat to low, baste with vinegar mixture to caramelize it.
Fluff cous cous with a fork.
Plate cous cous, asparagus and chicken, drizzle with remaining vinegar mixture.

Total Time - 18 Minutes

Total Cost - $9.51

Total Ingredients - 7