Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz. mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp butter

Directions

1. Start with the sauce. Stir the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, and dried thyme together in a small bowl, then put it aside. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Warm a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, pour in the olive oil and tilt the skillet so the oil covers the bottom. Place the chicken thighs in the pan and cook until they are browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes on the first side and 5 minutes on the second side. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and cover it so it stays warm.
3. As the chicken cooks, clean the mushrooms and cut them in half. Once the chicken is out of the skillet, add the mushrooms to the pan and cook them in the remaining oil and drippings until they are a little tender and browned on the outside, 5-7 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the balsamic sauce you mixed earlier, scraping and stirring to loosen the browned bits from the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cook it with the mushrooms, stirring now and then, for about 5 minutes, until it has reduced by half.
5. Add the butter and stir until it melts smoothly into the sauce. Return the chicken to the skillet, turn it through the sauce to coat, and let it simmer for a few minutes more to warm back through. Serve hot, spooning the pan sauce over the chicken and mushrooms.