Creamy Balsamic Chicken
This creamy balsamic chicken combines skin-on thighs and drumsticks with tomato, white wine, and a smooth balsamic cream sauce. It's an easy dinner that's perfect for busy nights or special occasions.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg chicken
- 1½ teaspoon salt divided
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and left whole
- 1 tomato chopped or grated
- 100 ml balsamic vinegar
- 70 ml white wine
- 250 ml chicken broth
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 200 ml heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 kg chicken thighs and drumsticks. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Brown for 4–5 minutes per side, then transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add 1 yellow onion, finely chopped, and 2 garlic cloves to the same pan. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add 1 tomato, chopped or grated, and cook for another 5 minutes, until it breaks down into the onion mixture.
- Pour in 100 ml balsamic vinegar and simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. Add 70 ml white wine, scrape up the browned bits, and simmer for 1–2 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Pour in 250 ml chicken broth and add 4 fresh thyme sprigs. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over it. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, until the thickest pieces reach 74 °C.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat to low, pour 200 ml heavy cream into the pan, and stir until fully incorporated. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Return the chicken to the balsamic cream sauce. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken.
- Remove the thyme sprigs. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Use similar-sized pieces: Chicken pieces of a comparable size brown and finish cooking more evenly.
Reduce the balsamic briefly: A short reduction concentrates its flavor without making the sauce overly thick before simmering.
Choose the tomato texture: Grated tomato creates a smoother sauce, while chopped tomato leaves more texture.
Control the heat after adding cream: Low heat helps the cream blend smoothly without separating.
Nutrition
Calories: 1697kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 183g | Saturated Fat: 58g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 36g | Monounsaturated Fat: 81g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 751mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 754IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
