Chocolate Balsamic Chicken
1 medium onion sliced thinly
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
juice from 1/2 fresh Meyer lemon
zest from half a Meyer lemon
3 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Juice from whole orange divided in half , plus the zest from ½ the orange
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
4 ½ lbs chicken legs and/or thighs, skin on
1/2 cup chicken stock
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Roasted Carrots - recipe below
Sage Beans - recipe here - http://themixingspoon.weebly.com/blog/sage-and-white-beans
Saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of the oil until they are golden brown.
Prepare marinade by whisking the next 7 ingredients together. Stir in the prepared onions, half the orange juice, all of the orange zest and ¼ cup chocolate balsamic vinegar.
Place the chicken with the marinade into a locking plastic bag or a bowl with a tight fitting lid. Seal securely and toss well to combine.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours, occasionally tossing the chicken to coat with marinade.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Transfer chicken and all the marinade into a non-stick baking pan. Roast in the oven for about an hour or until the chicken is cooked through.
When the chicken is done, transfer to a serving dfish and cover to keep warm . Place the baking pan on the stove top over med-high heat and add the chicken stock, the two tablespoons of the vinegar and the rest of the orange juice. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and reduce the sauce for about 5 minutes until it thickens.
Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the chopped parsley . Serve any additional sauce on the side.
Serves 4-6
Serve with sage butter white beans and roasted carrots*
*see below
Roasted Carrots
Three very large carrots* cut into 3inch chunks. Cut the widest ends in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Toss the carrot in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a nonstick sheet pan** in 1 layer and roast in the oven for 20-40 minutes, turning once half way through cooking, until browned and tender.
*Large carrots are sold single and not in a plastic bag. They are available at farmers markets, asian markets and high end grocery stores .
**Or use nonstick foil to line pan
serves 4 - 6 people