Chicken with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Background

By now some of you must be wondering whether I own stock in some fruitful balsamic vinegar company (a safer location for stock ownership than say a large financial institution), but I assure you I do not. I happen to love balsamic vinegar in many dishes, and for whatever reason those I have pulled out lately have featured it prominently.

Ingredients

For the balsamic BBQ sauce:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken:
4 pieces chicken, any combination of breast or leg and thigh pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper


General Instructions

For the BBQ sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.


For the chicken:
Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees F. Spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken and return the dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.


Suggestions

This BBQ sauce is not for the faint of heart! While I really enjoyed it I would suggest scaling back on either (or both) the brown sugar or ketchup. The sauce seemed somewhat unbalanced in sweetness to me. I would also consider at least doubling the amount of Dijon mustard. Its flavor was completely overpowered by the balsamic vinegar. I happen to like a nice punch in my BBQ sauce, something I think would be better fulfilled with additional mustard.

This recipe also makes provisions for the use of steak as an alternative to chicken, as well as the use of an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. I would highly recommend an outdoor grill. It would have been my first choice in the preparation of this dish had I not been limited to a somewhat unreliable tabletop grill.

Grilling recommendations: lightly coat the chicken or steak with BBQ sauce and place on the grill. Allow the sauce to gently simmer while the meat cooks. Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side, the steaks about 4 minutes per side (dependent upon preferred preparation). Brush the meat with the BBQ sauce every few minutes. Remove from the gill and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Opinion


While my husband and I really enjoyed this (reheated the chicken is surprisingly good), I was not as blown away by it as I thought I might be heading into the preparation. I really felt the sauce was just too sweet and the mustard completely overpowered. The lack of balance left the vinegar garishly bold. I would definitely like to revisit this one with some alterations to the BBQ sauce preparation, as well as a trip out to a more reliable grill. Don't forget, however, a significant advantage to oven baking: incredibly tender and juicy chicken.

This one gets a 3. With future preparation I may amend that number upward.

Balsamic Chicken Drumsticks

Background

I suppose I may have to go back and categorize this week as the week of balsamic vinegar! I have actually tried this recipe a couple of times with great results and an enthusiastic response. It is a wonderfully easy and satisfying dish that requires little more than a combination of a handful of ingredients and a brief run through the oven. And for those who enjoy wings, feel free to substitute wings for the drumsticks. The results are equally excellent!

Ingredients

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

5 sprigs of rosemary

5 garlic cloves, halved

10 to 12 chicken drumsticks

Optional:

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


General Instructions

Combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary, and garlic in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and brown sugar. Add the chicken, seal the bag with as little air as possible in the bag, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for two hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the skin is caramelized, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Place the leftover marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to achieve a gentle simmer and cook over low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes.


Use a pastry brush to brush some of the marinade on the cooked chicken. If using, sprinkle the sesame seeds and chopped parsley over the cooked chicken.

Suggestions

This may seem an inconsequential suggestion, but in the preparation of the marinade I would suggest breaking down and mixing the ingredients in a medium to large bowl. Shaking and squeezing the bag don't quite achieve dissolution of the honey. A bowl and a whisk are a more efficient and successful approach. A second recommendation: spray the foil-lined baking sheet with a non-stick spray. The residual marinade on the chicken makes for a wonderful glue, and in this recipe the crispy skin is key! For those that try this with drumettes, the adherence issue was more problematic. Also, keep an eye on your oven. The caramelization process does result in some (possibly significant) smoking. No one wants to deal with screaming fire detectors at dinner time!

Opinion

My husband and I have enjoyed this dish several times, both with drumsticks and drumettes. It is really quite easy to prepare, making for an appetizing dish during the week when time is short. I have to give this a 4, both for taste and ease of working it into the regular rotation. The tartness of the balsamic vinegar will perk up your taste buds, while the honey and brown sugar will lend a very nice, sweet counter punch. Keep your buds on the watch for the lovely hint of rosemary-- it really lends a fresh overtone to the chicken.