French Blueberry Balsamic Chicken Recipe

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
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Updated on 07/8/21
Blueberry Balsamic Chicken
razmarinka / Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 chicken breasts

Chicken meets blueberries in this unusual dish of blueberry balsamic chicken from the Provence region in the South of France. Do not be put off by the color of the sauce on the chicken, it is the taste which is good. This blueberry balsamic chicken recipe makes 4 servings and can easily be doubled for larger crowds.

Sweet blueberry sauce, livened up with a dash of balsamic vinegar, is the key to this succulent blueberry chicken recipe. It tastes delicious in the summer when the berries are fresh off the bush. Yet, frozen blueberries can be used to create a super special year-round dish.​​

If you are eating the dish in the summer, then serve it as they do in Provence, with rice alongside. In the winter, whipped, creamy mashed potatoes upgrade the dish from comfort food level to special-meal occasion. Match with Aligot, another classic French dish of potatoes (whipped with garlic and olive oil), or add roasted or sautéed carrots for an extra pop of color on the plate.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced

  • 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped rosemary

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  3. If you are using frozen blueberries thaw them and reserve both the berries and the juice.

  4. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

  5. In a large skillet, set over medium heat, melt the butter into the oil. Brown the chicken breasts for 3 minutes on each side, until they turn golden brown. Transfer the browned chicken to an ovenproof baking dish.

  6. Add the shallots to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the blueberries and any blueberry juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, rosemary, and the remaining salt and pepper to the pan. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

  7. Pour the blueberry balsamic sauce over the browned chicken, place a lid on the baking dish, and cook it in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

  8. Allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then serve hot.

  9. Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
469 Calories
17g Fat
40g Carbs
39g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 469
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 117mg 39%
Sodium 676mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 14%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 32g
Protein 39g
Vitamin C 10mg 52%
Calcium 58mg 4%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 529mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)