Shredded Basalmic Chicken

Two 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (no tenderloins)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken broth, preferably no-salt-added, or more as needed
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, or more as needed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Leaves from 4 stems thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

If the chicken breast halves are of uneven thickness, you may want to either pound them between pieces of plastic wrap, or even easier, use a sharp knife to make shallow cuts in the thicker parts of the meat.

Place the chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with cool water by at least 2 inches. Bring to barely a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 12 minutes. Drain in a colander, discarding the cooking liquid. The chicken should be just cooked through (you can cut it in half to check).

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the tomato paste; cook for 5 minutes, stirring to avoid scorching. The tomato paste should darken a bit and become fragrant. Reduce the heat to low; pour in the broth and balsamic vinegar, stirring until no lumps of tomato paste remain.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; use two forks to shred or pull the chicken, placing the pieces in the skillet as you work. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the leaves from the thyme and the dried oregano, stirring to distribute them evenly and coat the chicken. Taste, and add more balsamic vinegar or broth, as needed. The chicken should be a little saucy — It’s a clingy sauce, rather than a thin one.