Some days, it’s nice to cook a recipe that tastes a little fancier than my everyday meals. However, fancy doesn’t have to be difficult to make; at least not this delicious recipe for Chicken with Prunes and Sage.
For this recipe, I’ve partnered with Sunsweet, to create a meal that is both perfect for a midweek dinner and special occasions at home. I love to cook this recipe for my husband and me -although everyone loves this dish- because sometimes we want a meal that is a little more “grown-up” than my midweek skillet meals.
My husband and I choose to eat right whether we are eating at home, out on a special date, with or without the kids. We do this so our children can learn how to make healthy choices in their everyday meals, in hopes that someday, they too will choose to eat right on their own.
For us, eating right means eating a lot of fresh foods, making our own meals, and choosing ingredients that have been minimally processed. It’s not about buying foods that are “low” on something, it’s about selecting foods that provide nutrition in every bite.
When I was asked to develop a recipe using prunes, I didn’t have to think too hard. I’ve been eating prunes my whole life since I was a little kid in Spain.
Prunes were my grandmother’s go-to solution for adding more fiber into our diets to asking for something sweet. As kids, we didn’t get chocolate or candy at her house, we got prunes.
Naturally, old habits are hard to change and with my kids, I see my grandmother in a lot of my habits. Since my kids were little, they’ve been eating prunes for a snack and finding a Sunsweet One single wrapped prune in my purse is not out of the ordinary.
Ok, so you are here for this delicious chicken recipe. My “secret” ingredient is prunes because they add a lot of flavor to a savory dish, and they are great for nutrition and fiber. Prunes’ nutrient properties make them an extremely versatile ingredient. Prunes contain fiber, sorbitol, malic acid, and polyphenols, which allow them to work wonderfully as a natural meat tenderizer, retain meat moisture and enhance savory flavors.
When I make this chicken, I usually serve it with steamed green beans and couscous or rice, but the main dish here is the chicken.
My husband and I rarely get to go out on date nights, so we do a date night “in” at home. Yes, the kids are around but what I typically do is feed the kids early and once they are settled playing board games or a movie, my husband and I sit back and enjoy a meal for two. Taking the time to connect is important for a healthy relationship; and how much better than this chicken with prunes recipe to connect? exactly.
Watch this quick video so you can see how simple this dish is to make.
Chicken with Prunes and Sage
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cups thinly sliced onion (about 1 large)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup, packed, pitted dried plums, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 4 servings of couscous, cooked according to package directions
- 1lb green beans, steamed
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet, rolling pin or heavy skillet.
- Unwrap chicken and season with 1 tablespoon of sage, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat up 2 teaspoons of oil. Add seasoned chicken to the pan and cook 3 minutes on each side, until chicken is no longer pink and is cooked to 165F.
- Remove chicken from the pan onto a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Heat up remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the pan and add onions. Cook stirring often, until they are soft and golden, for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in broth, bring to a boil and scrape the tidbits from the pan. Add plums, remaining sage, and balsamic vinegar. Cook for an additional 4 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
- Plate couscous and place cooked, sliced chicken on top. Spoon sauce from the pan onto the chicken and serve with steamed green beans on the side.
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From time to time, I work with awesome companies to develop recipes for this website. Today’s post was brought to you by Sunsweet. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that encourage my creativity.
Hi Laura,
This recipe looks so delicious!!! I have never cooked with prunes before but will definitely try this my little one a I. I have been looking for new recipe ideas so thanks for sharing this one. I’m sure we will both enjoy this! 🙂
Best Regards,
Kandice
Im rating on ingredients and looks alone. I will review again after tasting. 🙂
★★★★★
I’d love to know how much you enjoy it Kandice!
Sounds good. I do wonder though, at the statement that prunes are a replacement for fats. Are you aware that the whole low fat = healthy argument has been debunked? Good healthy fat such as that provided by pastured butter is an essential part of every diet – I would replace the oil in this recipe with half to full amount of butter instead; fruits should be lowered to make room for fat in total caloric intake, not the reverse.
I’m well aware. I drink bulletproof coffee in the morning. I have a whole post about it. The sauce comes together thick without the need for heavy cream, something most sauces would call for to achieve the richness in this one. I hope you try it and enjoy.
My favorite way is to make dried plum oatmeal cookies .
I love prunes and my kids do too, but I have never cooked with them. This sounds good, I should definitely try it.
★★★★★
Hi Laura! Can’t wait to try this recipe! I’ve always considered myself a good eater, healthy, but have learned over the years it’s time to cut things out. With my son’s food allergies, I want my whole family to eat right and feel better! My 40th birthday is in 2 weeks and I am on day 24 of a 40 day clean eating cleanse. I feel amazing and want my family to feel that way!
I love prunes just plain, but I have never tried cooking with them before. Your recipe may have just inspired me to try! Thank You!
★★★★★
Let me know how much you enjoy it once you try it!
Looks great, can’t wait to try! My favorite way to use prunes is in a salad-either lettuce or whole grain based, and definitely with some goat cheese!
Sounds so yummy! Love the idea of fresh sage with it. #killercombo Can’t wait to try this. I absolutely love prunes and they are my lifeline when I or my daughter are experiencing low blood sugar. Thanks for sharing!
This looks great! I make a Spanish halibut that I’m thinking I could incorporate prunes into for a natural sweetness.
I have never cooked with them but this recipe has my attention. I eat them straight from the package.
★★★★★
I eat them straight from the bag too!
I eat prunes like candy.
I love to add prunes to our packed lunches for a little healthy sweet treat.
I love prunes though I rarely cook with them. my kids were given them when babies, cooked down and mixed with yoghourt. Yum! We still eat this as a healthy dessert.
We just eat them straight up out of the bag!
I love them straight from the bag. Will try this recipe though–looks great!
My son and husband eat them straight from the bag!
I serve them with a dab of cream cheese and crackers.
I love prunes in all forms but I love to chop them up and bake them inside apples with walnuts and cinnamon!
Tired Sunsweet products at a Mom’s Meet convention. I was shocked at how yummy their products are! The tropical juice is wonderful!
We nearly always have some prunes on hand for 2 reasons:
1. When we’re a day or so away from hitting the grocery store, I like to have some dried fruit on hand after the fresh stuff has run out.
2. Fiber, just like you mentioned in your post. They can really help us, specifically my girls, re-calibrate after a day or two of “off” eating.
Sometimes I use prunes in my morning oatmeal
I love sneaking prunes into homemade cereal bars! Thanks for the chance to win!
★★★★★
I love to use prunes in baking – added to a quick bread or finely diced in a shortbread cookie
My boys love eating prunes straight from the bag! My older son always called them “croones” when he was small, so we still call them by his cute baby-talk name.
One of my favorite recipes featuring prunes is Chicken Marbella. It’s got capers, brown sugar and white wine with the chicken and prunes; I’m really looking forward to trying your recipe here because it has NO SUGAR! We’ve got it on our menu, looking forward to sampling some deliciousness! Great post!
Hi Brooke! You are the winner of our $250 Visa giveaway! Please check your email! 🙂
★★★★★
My son stopped having BM at five months of age. He was put on medications and I was told it would be a long term solution, meaning he would be on it a long time. After researching how bad this was for him I tried natural things, prunes being one of them. Eight years later, We use many things to keep him regular, but prunes are a favorite and a constant. I add them to oatmeal, homemade granola bars and cookies, to name a few.
I’ve never tried them anyway except by themselves. I think they’re good that way. I really haven’t come across a recipe that uses them until now!
I’ve only had prunes by themselves. I do like them that way, but never really realized there were other ways to use them.
Hi Laura,
Have to say i do not eat prunes but looking at the bag, we were introduced to these black plums (what they are called here) and love them! So needless to say, I will be picking up a bag for snacks and for this dish. Thanks for the introduction
I like to put prunes in our yogurt, but really love to substitute prunes for raisins in cinnamon raisin (prune) bread. Gives it an extra tangy kick!
I have had them in a rolled pork roast before and that is yummy, but we usually just eat them plain. Cut up in yogurt would also be good.
Never really thought about cooking with prunes. Thanks for the inspiration!
We eat them as a snack right out of the container!
I love to eat prunes just as they come. They are so sweet!
I eat them from the package. I haven’t cooked with them and now I’m wondering why. I’m going to try to bake a fig cake.
Looks incredibly delicious! I love seeing “boxed in” ingredients reinvented! Thank you for such a creative and delicious idea!
★★★★★
I have not cooked with prunes but am excited to try many of these suggestions as well as your recipe. I eat straight from the bag or reconstitute them like dates to add sweetness to baked goods.
I usually just eat prunes by themselves but I have used them as a replacement for dates in a gluten free vegan cheesecake recipe. The prunes acted as the sweetener and binding agent for the nuts in the crust. Delish!
My great grandma would make a Prune Kugen. I can still remember the taste 😉
Straight from the bag.
We too are “straight of the bag” people. Lots of fun ideas for song plum flavor to chicken we will have to try.
Pork with prunes is a recipe I picked up while in northern Italy this summer. Even the kids liked it.
My mom makes delicious”Tzimis”, which is steamed carrots, sweet potatoes , and prunes. She would make this for special holiday meals.
My mom makes a fantastic prune cake, which is my favorite way to eat prunes 🙂
Thank you for the giveaway!
I like to make prune sauce!
★★★★★
I love them straight from the bag….or sometimes with an almond stuck inside.
I’m another “out of the bag” eater – I’ve had to limit myself to a small handful a day, as I can get myself into intestinal trouble due to my love of the little gems! 🙂 Cooking with them seems like a brilliant way to make my limited few stretch a little farther. Thanks for the gorgeous looking dish.
I like them straight out of the bag.
I have only had prunes once, someone gave me one of the singles. It was very tasty and I had forgotten about it until now. I am putting it on my grocery list. My kids love dried fruit and having them individually wrapped is a huge bonus. I’ll have to try this recipe. I want to show my kids that even grownups can try new things. Last week it was spaghetti squash (delicious!) Maybe this week chicken with prunes.
Your recipe looks delicious! I like prunes just plain dried.
I haven’t cooked with them yet. We just eat them right out of the canister.
I love eating prunes straight out of the package. Delicious and satisfying!
My favorite way to eat prunes is honestly straight out of the bag- easy, healthy and satisfying!
My family eats prunes right out of the bag. They are very helpful for my kids 🙂
I never thought of cooking with prunes! I remember growing up eating prunes and drinking prune juice to stay regular. Still eat them straight out of the package.
I just re-discovered some prunes in my cabinet today, and didn’t know what to do with them. I’ll try this! And I think I may try to stew them to put over yogurt or on grain free bread.
I just printed this recipe and hope to try it soon. I actually grew up eating prunes as snacks – and still do. When I need something sweet, I always reach for fruit.
I love to use pureed prunes in baking. It subs well for butter! Works like applesauce and bananas for thickening. This prune recipe might work with tofu, too…with a few subs, of course!
i love eating prunes just straight from the package. what a great snack!
I will need to try this recipie. I usually eat prunes as a snack..
I like to eat prunes just as they are for a healthy and filling afternoon snack.
My daughter has a little sunsweet booklet with kids recipes, but this recipe sounds like something the whole family would enjoy.
Prunes are best eaten by themselves as a snack! I love their sweetness.
I love fruit ‘hand pies’. I don’t know why I have never used prunes before. Tomorrow I want to try substituting chopped prunes for raisens in my Raisen Hand Pie recipe. Thanks for the inspiration.
if you love “hand pies” come back tomorrow for a great recipe… 😉
Prunes are not on my weekly shopping list, but when I do buy them I eat them straight from the bag. I will have to start cooking with them. Your recipe looks so good.
We like prunes right out of the bag, too! Can’t wait to try this recipe – looks delicious!
This sounds relish! We usually just snack n prunes straight from the pantry.
I love these peanut butter oatmeal prune dark chocolate bites we make! They are the perfect treat! The prunes add the perfect hint of sweetness and really enhance the texture!
I’ve never cooked with prunes, either. The whole family is happy just to eat them straight up 🙂 I will have to try this out.
I like to add prunes to recipes, especially savory ones, they add a rich sweetness to the dish.
I loved purines in heavy syrup as a kid, everyone thought I was crazy, but as an adult I love them baked along with a pork roast, or just right out of the bag, love the individually wrapped to go packs!
I like using prunes in lieu of raisins in Larabar type recipes that require a sticky base mixed with nuts or seeds!
I simply enjoy eating them best right out of the container. 🙂 However, since reading your article, I am interested in pureeing them to use in place of sugars.
I’ve never tried prunes in anything other than in juice or to eat plain. I usually just like to snack on them.
Ironically, my kids will eat prunes, but this is a great idea!
I like eating them straight from the box! I have baked with them, too, and that’s worked well.
Never thought to cook woth them. Eat them right out of the bag. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this recipe, it looks so yummy! I always have prunes in my pantry for baking– my favorite recipe is banana prune muffins.
★★★★★
My husband eats prunes as a snack right out of the bag! But for myself and our 4 kiddos I have to hide them a little bit. I like to chop them up and put them in my beef stew. I think they pair so we’ll with the beer and add just a hint of sweetness. Plus my kids never know their eating them but get all the health benefits!
I’ll be honest, I’m not a big prune eater, I’d be open to finding more ways to enjoy them!
I prefer to eat prunes right out of the package, most usually the sunsweet singles because they are so moist and delicious.
My favorite way to eat prunes is in a chocolate chip “cookie”! It is one of my favorite dessert / snack recipes because it uses natural sugar (prunes and dates) mixed with oats and some chocolate chips to make “cookies”. They are so easy to make that my 5 year old can almost make them all by herself. The only problem with her making them is that I always have to have extra prunes and dates on hand because half of them end up in her mouth and not the cookies 😉
I don’t know when it started but I have been eating prunes right out of the bag for awhile now. My mom would have them around so even though I didn’t eat them when I lived at home I picked up seeing them around.
The individually wrapped Sunsweet Ones prunes are one of our go to snacks for our Grandson. He is not a big evening eater, and often asks for a couple of “Ones” and Babybel cheese.
I thought I was the only one who paired “ones” with babybel!! 🙂
I like using prunes in oatmeal cookies, great combo!
I love snacking on them, and pureeing them for my babies!
My favorite way to use prunes is in baking. I am intrigued to learn to stretch my abilities, though.
I like to eat prunes straight up! Maybe I’ll try pureeing them into my oatmeal, for a sweet addition.
I only eat them plain and have never tried them in a recipe.
That looks delicious, I have to try it.
Thanks for the recipe!
We loooooove a gooey prune coffee cake for breakfast in our house. Never thought of them for dinner though. We’ll have to give it a try. Thanks!
My kids love to eat them straight from the container. I prefer to put them in a smoothie for me 😉
This recipe sounds great.
I typically eat prunes as a snack or in a family recipe for Viennabrod/Wienerbrod.
My 13 month old and I eat them straight out of the fridge. We like them cold.
I will eat an entire package of Sunsweet Prunes just by themselves within a week. I seriously can’t get enough. My digestive system loves me for that!
This chicken recipes looks great! My favorite was to serve prunes is stewed with a cut up lemon. SImple and tasty.
I have never cooked with prunes. My little ones love the organic baby food prunes and sometimes we still buy them when they really need them and they are 7 and 5. I will def. try this recipe out.
Straight out of the package!
Prunes are perfect just the way they are! Although, sneaking them into Laura’s brownie recipe is another delicious way to eat them.
Mmm we like prunes as is, but I will try this recipe, for sure.
I like to use prunes in place of bananas in banana bread, it’s so yummy and toddler friendly!
I use prunes quite a bit in my cooking. One of my favorite dishes is Tofu Marbella, a nice sweet and tangy sauce with green olives and prunes. I also enjoy a nice stewed compote of various dried fruits (including prunes) this time of year. A compote can be a great topper on hot cereals such as oatmeal, quinoa or brown rice to replace other sweeteners. Another hardy winter dish I make in the fall and wintertime, is a nice veggie tagine. Prunes are a staple addition to this dish. Of course prunes are also fantastic out of the bag or as a substitute for raisins in muffins or scones. We love prunes in our household!
We have only enjoyed eating them straight out of the bag. However, I am inspired by your recipe and the idea by others to put them in oatmeal cookies!
I really love prunes on their own! I’ve never tried them in a recipe before, but this looks so tasty, I might have to put it on the menu at our house!
I actually never eat prunes! This recipe looks delicious though. I also have always wanted to make some kind of healthy snack balls with prunes, peanut butter, nuts, etc.
My favorite way to eat prunes is actually pureed! You can thank having children and needing to ‘eh hem, help them “go”.
Gotta say, favorite way to eat prunes is fresh. 🙂 u grew up up in Washington state and we had an orchard that included quit a few prune trees! We also had a prune tree right outside my bedroom window! I loved to sit In the window with a book and eat prunes picked right off the tree! Best. Thing. Ever!
just plain!
Does Prune juice count? LOL
Our favorite way to eat prunes is straight out of the bag. Glad so see Sunsweet offering a preservative free option. Would love to see them have an organic option, too. Maybe they do and I just haven’t seen it in our area.
stewed prunes are good.
I enjoy prunes just as they come. 🙂
I like prunes out of the bag, never used them with baking.
I’m one of those weird people who actually like prunes. My favorite way to eat them is straight out of the bag. If I had to choose another way to eat them I guess I would put them in a sandwich with turkey meat, cheese, spinach, avocado and tomato.
★★★★★
you are definitely not weird Catherine. Check out the other comments and ME!! LOL
prunes….right from the bag! Sometimes I’ll stew them in water, boil for a bit – makes a yummy syrup and the prunes get nice and soft.
I love to use them in place of raisins in oatmeal cookies. I also use coconut oil and coconut shreds and lots of walnuts. The flavors are so yummy together.
★★★★★
Love eating them right out of the can!!
I like to boil them and purée them to make baby food for my son. So yummy!
I made prune compote and desert. I also like it as snack.
My favorite way to eat prunes is straight from the bag! Truthfully, I’ve never tried them any other way. They don’t last that long between myself and my son.
★★★★
Will have to try this recipe. We enjoy them by themselves or chopped up and sprinkled over oatmeal.
I don’t eat the prunes, but my dad does.
Have never cooked with prunes… sounds interesting! But how can I use up the rest of the package? Can it be frozen?
We used to eat a lot of prunes as children. My Mom would stew them in a little water. Yummy. Love Sunsweet prunes right out of the bag. Would love to win the Sunsweet contest.
This recipe looks delicious! I usually eat them straight out of the bag but I may just try this!
★★★★
I love eating prunes by the handful. They are not too sweet and perfect as an easy snack 🙂
I never used to buy prunes, but I started buying them for my daughter and now we always have them at the house and eat them straight out of the bag!
My family eats prunes straight out of the bag! I buy the individually wrapped Sunsweet Ones. I have added prunes to homemade nut bars before.
I have substituted dried prunes for dates when making homemade lara bars. They come out sweeter and softer, but just as tasty!
We love to eat prunes plain (Sunsweet Ones are great for travel), but I also like to chop them for use in place of raisins or dried cranberries in baked goods.
This recipe looks delicious! We eat a lot of chicken and It can get pretty boring. I love eating prunes by them selves as a snack. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Simply…plain! Seriously. I just give prunes to my kids just as they are. It’s also a nutritious sweet ‘filler’ if I have a little space available in the lunch container.
I love just as they are for a snack!
Wow, this recipe looks delicious! Besides eating prunes in a dish like this, I like them in a dessert cobbler, mixed with strawberries or even Rhubarb.
I love to eat them right out of the bag…so yummy!
Love prunes straight from bag and in oatmeal.
My kids love eating Prunes right out of the the bag! My 6yr old likes them so much, I have to stop her from eating too many!
I have never cooked with prunes, but this recipe sounds so good I think I will have to try it! I don’t even know when the last time was I had a prune so I don’t have a favorite way of eating them.
It’s funny. I would buy prunes in the big container sort of like the big one of raisins and I would be the only one who ate them. I started buying the Sunsweet individually wrapped prunes and now can’t keep their hands out of them! They disappear so fast now
I love to eat prunes right out of the package! They are so good!
We like to eat them right out of the bag! The recipe sounds delicious, I’ll definitely have to try cooking with them! thanks
We like to eat them right out of the bag! This recipe looks delicious, I’ll definitely have to try cooking with them! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Laura,
the recipe looks delicious. I will try it in the near future.
We love prunes. My favorite way to eat them is stuffed with chocolate ganache and rolled in unsweetened cocoa
I have never tried cooking with prunes. Maybe I will have to try this recipe! I have only eaten dried prunes right out of the bag!
I eat prunes straight out of the bag as a snack! Delicious!
prune cake or just straight out of the bag
I will definitely have to add this recipe to my next weekly dinner menu! Love it!
Enjoy Lisa!
I might try cooking with them, as this recipe looks yummy. But, honestly, my favorite way to enjoy them is straight out of the bag, while hiding from my kids!!
We mostly eat them straight from the bag but they are also something I often put in our homemade granola bars! This recipe looks super yummy!
I love straight out of the can…they are juicy and so delish
★★★★
I usually chop them up a bit and put on top my oatmeal with a little cream. Otherwise just eat them out of the bag.
My mom used to make this at Christmas time and it is my favorite way to make prunes beside just eating them plain. She would soak the prunes in water for a little bit so they would plump up and then put softened cream cheese in the middle with a pecan on top. Yum!
I love prunes straight up as a snack but I’ve never thought to cook with them! Looks awesome!!
There is a homemade granola recipe I have from a local grocery store. It calls for cranberries but I replace it with prunes instead for this treat.
I love to eat prunes with almonds as my morning snack at work. Gets me through to lunchtime!
This sounds yummy, will definitely try it! I haven’t had a prune in a while but will get some now. I used them a lot when I cooked all my sons baby food. I would mix it with all different things.
I like to use all kinds of dried fruit in granola bars.
Prune cake! That’s the extent of my experience cooking with them. We eat them straight-up.
I love snacking on prunes! But, I am looking forward to trying your recipe, it looks delicious! Thank you for the inspiration!
★★★★★
PRUNES are great! my mom made Prune Cookies – they had cocoa, chocolate chips, and prunes pureed for the fat – soft and moist. When we lived in Iowa, I learned a Swedish recipe for dried fruit soup – my Grandmother was thrilled (she was part Swede) and it had dried prunes, berries, etc in it. that is so yummy! I make a prune brownie – which is yummy and gooey. I want the prune coffee cake recipe from a comment – sounds great! And excited to try it in a more savory dish – thanks!!
★★★★
I enjoy eating prunes plain as a snack!
I’m always looking for new healthy recipes but have never tired one with prunes. It looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it. Maybe for date night with my husband!
I love eating prunes right out of the bag! They’re so sweet and tasty:)
I have actually never had a prune, but I love plums, so no doubt I would love them! This dish looks like the perfect way to try them for the first time. 🙂
I love prunes as a sub for some of the oil in recipes like banana or pumpkin bread. You purée the prunes w water and a little vanilla and sub! It’s sweet and moist. And it works! You can also then reduce the sweetener.
Wow, i think I’d eat prunes just the way you showed! Looks absolutely DELICIOUS!!
Thank you for sharing your wnoderful recipes. As a working mom, I have to make the most of my cooking time, especially on those days when I also have to work evenings. This chicken recipe is something I can cook easily and leave an extra serving for lunch!
★★★★★
W just love to snack on them!
This recipe looks fab! I always have a giant bag of prunes in the house and have never attempted to cook with them…and this recipe looks like a less intimidating place to start!
I LOVE to eat prunes with a smear of peanut butter. The sweet/salty combo is satisfying and the fiber/fat combo keeps me full and energized for hours.
★★★★
I’ve never heard of the prune + pb combo. I’m going to have to try it!