Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (15-ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 cup sweet sherry
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 teaspoons prepared sweet mustard (such as honey mustard)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions:
Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment and gently pound with a mallet until they are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick for even cooking.
In a small saucepan, combine the jellied cranberry sauce, sweet sherry, chicken stock, dry mustard, prepared sweet mustard, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, Chinese five-spice powder, and brown sugar. Stir to blend the ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the sauce begins to thicken.
Meanwhile, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts in a single layer (work in batches if your skillet is not large enough) and sauté until lightly browned and cooked through, about 3–5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove the cooked breasts to a warm plate and cover to keep warm.
Add the remaining butter to the skillet and pour in the cranberry sauce mixture. Increase the heat to high and let the sauce reduce until it is roughly half its original volume, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and to concentrate the flavors. This should take several minutes and will produce a glossy, slightly thickened sauce.
Return the chicken breasts to the skillet briefly to coat them with the reduced sauce and warm through. Transfer the chicken to serving plates and spoon additional sauce over each breast.
Servings: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes