Skillet Chicken with Tomato Cream Sauce

I don't often have accidents in the kitchen. Ryan would say I have the uncanny ability to "destroy the kitchen", but it's usually a pretty safe environment. However, today, I had a bit of a stupid moment. I'm not exactly sure what I did, all I know is that as my onions were simmering away, I went to add the chicken broth to the pan and next thing I knew my arm spasmed?...or perhaps something made me jump. Regardless what happened, the next moment I was covered head to waist in warm chicken broth. I can only imagine what it must have looked like, luckily though I will never know because I was the only one around to witness this embarrassment.
So, anyway, once I cleaned up from my "incident" I proceeded to finish cooking. Despite the mishap, this was actually a very easy to prepare. The sauce comes together quickly with just a few simple ingredients, and the chicken is pounded thin which also cuts the cooking time in half. You can serve in on top of any thin pasta such as spaghetti or angel hair pasta. The original recipe called for heavy cream, but I chose to use fat free half and half to cut calories, and I also used whole wheat pasta. I will definitely be making this recipe again,  but hopefully without any mishaps next time.

Skillet Chicken with Tomato Cream Sauce
Adapted from: About.com 

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 cup chicken broth, divided

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup fat free half and half (or heavy cream)

1 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese, about 2 ounces

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 boneless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces angel hair pasta or linguine or spaghetti, cooked and drained

1. For sauce, saute the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until softened. Stir in 1/2 cup chicken broth, wine, basil, and parsley. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cream, Parmesan cheese, and tomato paste. Continue cooking until the sauce is hot and cheese has melted.

2. Wash chicken and pat dry. Place between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound until uniform in thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add tomato cream sauce, cover, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes longer, until chicken is cooked through. Serve with hot cooked pasta.

Serves 4.