Chicken with peppers in balsamic sauce

Yesterday for some reason -lots of work, teeth cleaning, crazy traffic- I was sooo tired the last thing I wanted to do was to fuss in the kitchen once I got home. I'm glad I had picked this recipe from the Jan./Feb. issue of Cooking Light because it was ridiculosuly fast to make and turned out delicious. In the magazine it was served with mascarpone mashed potatoes, but I opted for regualr ones since my local grocery store must think that mascarpone is made of gold and wants $8 for a small tub. Also, I figured, since January is a month when everyone is supposed to lose weight and we aren't losing any around here, we could live without the extra fat and calories in the mascarpone.

Today is going to be a repeat of yesterday, only instead of teeth cleaning I have to go see the CPA and I have a ridicolously late hair appointment at 6:30, which means I won't be home before 8:30... so I wish I had another super-fast super-good recipe to make. Oh, wait. I do! You'll read about it tomorrow...

CHICKEN WITH PEPPERS IN BALSAMIC SAUCE
From Cooking Light

3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
3/4  teaspoon  fennel seeds, crushed
1/2  teaspoon  black pepper, divided
1/4  teaspoon  garlic powder
1/4  teaspoon  dried oregano
4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2  tablespoons  olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 thinly sliced yellow bell pepper
1/2  cup  thinly sliced shallots (about 1 large)
1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh rosemary
1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon  balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450°.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Brush chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; sprinkle spice rub over chicken. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; cook 1 minute. Arrange chicken in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until done.

Heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, shallots, and rosemary; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve bell pepper mixture over chicken.