Saturday, January 28, 2012

Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives


     One of my favorite ways to cook chicken in a conventional oven is to place it on a sheet pan, sprinkle it with balsamic vinegar, garlic powder and herbs then bake at 350 degrees until darkened and tender.  It's a great quick, weeknight meal, the chicken bakes up crispy and brown and the concentrated vinegar adds just a hint of sweetness.  This is the very same recipe only with the addition of cherry tomatoes and Kalamata olives.  In my 12 inch oven, the chicken baked for 45 minutes with 12 coals in a circle around the base of the oven and 28 briquettes on the lid.  Serve it with a side of rice or with thick slices of toasted French bread to soak up the salty, sweet juices. The measurements are just a suggestion, you can add as many herbs or as much garlic powder as you like just be sure to sprinkle on the vinegar before you add the spices.

Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives
8 chicken pieces
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
2-3 Tblsp balsamic vinegar shaken from the bottle
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil OR dried rosemary
Cracked black pepper

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Place chicken pieces, skin side up, in single layer in prepared oven.
     Scatter olives and cherry tomatoes over chicken.
     Sprinkle balsamic vinegar from bottle over chicken until completely coated.
     Sprinkle with garlic powder, basil and pepper.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through. 
     Serve with rice, spoon sauce over all.
     Makes 4 servings.

Place chicken in one layer in oven then sprinkle with vinegar, garlic, herbs and pepper

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes

Sweet, salty chicken as tender as can be

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