Apple Balsamic Chicken — The Meal of Place, the Meal of Home

The garden is thriving. The tomatoes are established, the peas are climbing, the lettuce is lush, and the dill has commenced its annual territorial expansion. I've given up fighting the dill. The dill wins every year. I've accepted this the way I've accepted that Mamma's meatballs will always be slightly better than mine, that Duluth winters will always be too long, and that Sven will always steal bread from the counter when I'm not looking. Some battles are permanent. I made the first garden salad of the season on Wednesday — lettuce, radishes, chives, a few cherry tomatoes that ripened early. The salad was green and crunchy and tasted like the season and I ate it on the porch and the eating on the porch in the evening light is the summer ritual that I share with this house and this lake and no one else and the aloneness of porch-eating is no longer lonely. It's peaceful. It's mine. Peter called on Sunday. He's bringing Janet to Duluth in July. Janet, the social worker, the woman who doesn't take his nonsense. Nineteen months sober. Dating for six months. He said, "She wants to meet you, Mom." I said, "I want to meet her, Peter." He said, "She's heard about the meatballs." I said, "Everyone hears about the meatballs." Another meatball welcome. Another person at the table. The table that lost Paul is gaining people — Tom, soon Janet, the slow accumulation of new faces at a table that was shrinking and is now, tentatively, growing. I called Karin in Stockholm. The Sunday call. She sounds well — sixty-five now, retired, spending her time baking and visiting Gamla Stan and being more Swedish than the Swedes, as always. She said, "How is Duluth?" I said, "Duluth is Duluth. The lake is there. The garden is growing. Elsa has a boyfriend." Karin said, "A boyfriend! Is he Swedish?" I said, "He's a canoe guide from Ely." Karin said, "Close enough." Close enough. The Johansson family standard for everything: close enough. I made a summer dinner: grilled chicken with the garden salad. Simple. Fresh. Everything from here — the lettuce from the beds, the herbs from the garden, the chicken from the co-op. The meal of place. The meal of home. The garden thrives. The family grows. The meatballs welcome. The summer stretches. Close enough to good. Getting closer every day.

That Wednesday porch dinner — lettuce still cool from the garden, the evening light doing what Duluth evening light does in June — set the tone for the whole week’s cooking. I wanted something that honored the freshness of the season without overcomplicating it, something worthy of a table that’s quietly, tentatively growing again. This Apple Balsamic Chicken has become my summer answer to that: bright with balsamic, a little sweet from the apple, grounded enough to feel like home. Close enough to good. Getting closer every day.

Apple Balsamic Chicken

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup apple juice or fresh apple cider
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium apple (such as Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and thinly sliced
• Fresh chives or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the marinade. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, apple juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, honey, garlic, thyme, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl until combined.
2. Marinate the chicken. Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour half the balsamic-apple mixture over the chicken, reserving the rest for glazing. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the grill or pan. Heat a grill or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
4. Grill the chicken. Remove chicken from the marinade (discard used marinade) and cook for 6–7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and grill marks have formed. Brush with the reserved glaze during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
5. Sear the apple slices. While the chicken rests, add the apple slices to the hot grill or pan for 1–2 minutes per side until lightly caramelized and just tender.
6. Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Arrange apple slices over the top, drizzle with any remaining glaze, and garnish with fresh chives or parsley. Serve alongside a crisp garden salad.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 390mg