Maple-Glazed Chicken with Apple-Brussels Sprout Slaw

I was looking for a chicken recipe when I came across this one in my pile.  I guess maple made me think winter which gave me a warm and cozy feeling.  And my son loves cole slaw and I love Brussels sprouts, and we all love apples, so I thought this Cooking Light recipe might be a win-win.

Maple-Glazed Chicken with Apple-Brussels Sprout Slaw

8 (2-oz) chicken cutlets
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 tbsp red wine vinegar, divided
2 tbsp maple syrup
8 oz Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup dried currants (I used raisins)
1 medium Fuji or Gala apple, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

1.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove from pan; keep warm.  Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and syrup to pan; bring to a boil.  Cook 1 minute or until reduced to 3 tablespoons.  Return chicken to pan; turn to coat with glaze.

2.  Cut Brussels sprouts in half length-wise; thinly slice crosswise.  Place remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and whisk together.  Add Brussels sprouts, currants, and apple; toss to combine.  Serve slaw with chicken.

The Verdict:  This is one of those recipes that tastes and looks like it was really hard to make, when in fact you can whip it up in record time.  Score!

Everyone really loved the chicken.  It has a great flavor that's not too sweet.  Honestly, I made more glaze than was suggested in the recipe.  I wanted my chicken slightly gooey.  The slaw was, in my opinion, amazing.  The dressing was simultaneously sweet and tart and the mix of sprouts, apples and (in my slaw) raisins was a fantastic mix of flavors and textures.  But the slaw was also a bit like Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Mama Bear thought it was wonderful, Papa Bear thought it was OK but isn't a raving fan of Brussels sprouts and Baby Bear wanted to know what the hell you smeared all over my apples and raisins?  And what are these bitter green things?

So if you're feeding a table of picky eaters, you might want to skip the slaw.  (Sniff, sniff.)  But the chicken was a hit.