- 4 Chicken Halves
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons Chopped Onion
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 cup Apple balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup White Wine
- 3 cups Peeled, seeded, and diced tomato
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 Bouquet Garni
- Season the chicken halves all over with salt and pepper.
- Over medium-high heat, heat a saute pan large enough to hold the chicken halves comfortably without overcrowding.
- When the pan is very hot, add the oil and, when the oil is almost smoking, add the chicken, starting skin side down.
- Saute the chicken until golden brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes total.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan with chicken and saute, stirring, for about 2 minutes more.
- Transfer the chicken halves to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Add the vinegar and the wine to the pan and stir and scrape to deglaze the pan deposits.
- Bring the liquid to a boil and continue boiling until it has reduced by half its volume.
- Stir in the tomato and butter and add the bouquet garni.
- Return the chicken halves to the pan, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and continue cooking until the chicken is done, about 20 minutes more.
- Remove the chicken from the pan again to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.
- Remove and discard the bouquet garni.
- With an immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth.
- Or carefully transfer the sauce to a blender or processor, in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, and very carefully blend until smooth, taking precautions to avoid splattering; then return the sauce to the pan.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
- Return the chicken to the pan, bring the liquid back to a gentle boil, and serve.