Sauteed Chicken with Roast Grapes & Grape Demi-Glace

Looking like a freshly chef-made demi-glace, the remarkable sauce here is actually made from freshly extracted grape juice.  In addition, whole grapes are roasted until they shrivel, creating tiny explosions of intense flavor in your mouth.

1-1/2 pounds small seedless grapes (half red, half green)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 8 ounces each  
(optional garnish: finely snipped fresh chives)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Remove the grapes from their stems.  Put half the grapes on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 1 hour, turning after 30 minutes.  Puree the uncooked grapes in a food processor until very smooth; strain the juice through a sieve, pressing down hard on the skins.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook over high heat for 4 minutes on each side.  Add the grape juice and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the juice becomes syrupy, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a platter.  Add the remaining butter to the pan and cook, stirring over high heat, 1 minute.  Add the roasted grapes and cook 1 minute longer.  Pour the sauce over the chicken.  (Sprinkle with chives.) 

Serves 4