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Thyme-Infused Chicken Breasts with Pomegranate Sauce

Betty Crocker Kitchens
Updated Jul 1, 2010
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Looking for a hearty dinner? Enjoy this herbed chicken served with pomegranate sauce – a delightful meal.

Thyme-Infused Chicken Breasts with Pomegranate Sauce

  • Prep Time 30 min
  • Total 1 hr 20 min
  • Servings 4
  • Ingredients 17
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Ingredients

Chicken

  • 2 quarts (8 cups) cold water
  • 1/2 cup salt (preferably non-iodized)
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 3 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (about 3 lb)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 fresh thyme sprig
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate juice or cranberry juice
  • 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    In large bowl, mix cold water, salt, peppercorns, smashed garlic and 3 thyme sprigs until salt is dissolved. Add chicken and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes but no more than 3 hours.
  • Step 
    2
    Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Step 
    3
    In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot. Add chicken, skin sides down, and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown. Use long-handled tongs to turn chicken and cook 5 minutes longer or until golden. Reduce heat to low.
  • Step 
    4
    Simmer uncovered about 20 minutes, without turning, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when thickest part is cut to bone (170°F). Remove chicken from skillet and place on plate, reserving drippings in skillet. Cover tightly with foil; set aside.
  • Step 
    5
    Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix butter and flour with your fingers or a spoon. Knead mixture until it is a smooth paste; set aside.
  • Step 
    6
    Pour out all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Place skillet over medium heat and stir in onion. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until soft. Add finely chopped garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute longer.
  • Step 
    7
    Add wine and increase heat to high. Heat to boiling, scraping any browned bits off bottom of skillet. Boil wine 5 minutes or until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
  • Step 
    8
    Add broth and 1 thyme sprig to skillet. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until reduced by half. Add pomegranate juice and brown sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring pomegranate mixture with wire whisk.
  • Step 
    9
    Pinch off about half of the butter-flour paste. Drop this into boiling sauce and quickly beat in with wire whisk. Repeat with remaining paste, stirring constantly. Heat sauce to boiling and boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve sauce with chicken.

Nutrition

490 Calories
26g Total Fat
51g Protein
12g Total Carbohydrate
7g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
490
Calories from Fat
240
Total Fat
26g
41%
Saturated Fat
8g
39%
Trans Fat
1/2g
Cholesterol
150mg
51%
Sodium
3840mg
160%
Potassium
440mg
13%
Total Carbohydrate
12g
4%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
7g
Protein
51g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
10%
10%
Vitamin C
8%
8%
Calcium
4%
4%
Iron
15%
15%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 7 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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