Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce

I tore this out of my EatingWell magazine a while ago and even bought the apricots a while ago but just couldn't seem to get it on the weekly menu. Now that the weather has turned the corner comforting warm dishes have been occupying my mind more often. Dave took the reigns on this one and made the entire meal start to finish so I could sneak out for a very cold run on the trails before it got too dark. I came home to a warm fire in the living room and delicious aromas coming from the kitchen. Dave made glazed turnips as well. As you can see from the picture, I didn't even have time to take a picture before I hit the chair closest to the fire and dug in!

Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 medium shallot, minced
20 dried apricots, chopped
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

Butterfly each chicken breast and pound until flattened and an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.

Off the heat, add wine and shallot to the pan. Return to medium heat and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add apricots and cook until the fruit begins to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in preserves, tarragon and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the chicken

with the sauce