Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
• table salt
• ground black pepper
• vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• table salt
• ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees.

2. Slice each chicken breast in half to form thin cutlets (easier if frozen for 10-15 minutes).

3. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper.

4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking; place 4 cutlets in skillet and cook without moving them until browned, about 2 minutes.

5. Flip cutlets and continue to cook until second sides are opaque, 15 to 20 seconds.

6. Transfer to large heatproof plate.

7. Add 2 teaspoons oil to now-empty skillet and repeat to cook remaining cutlets. Cover plate loosely with foil and transfer to oven to keep warm while making sauce.

8. Remove skillet from burner. Add 2 teaspoons oil, shallot, and tomato paste to hot skillet; using residual heat, cook, stirring constantly until softened, about 30 seconds.

9. Set skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken broth, vinegar, light brown sugar, and thyme; bring to simmer, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits.

10. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, 6 to 7 minutes.

11. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; serve immediately with cutlets.