Balsamic Chicken Thighs – Fit Foodie Finds

These balsamic hen thighs are a straightforward and flavorful one pot meal! You’ll love the wealthy flavors of our do-it-yourself balsamic hen marinade paired with pearl mozzarella and recent basil. Serve with pasta or a salad!

You’re going to utterly love these balsamic hen thighs — we’re making them utterly in a forged iron (on the range high after which end within the oven), they usually’re doused in a shower of our superb balsamic chicken marinade.

I like prepping the balsamic hen marinade the evening earlier than in order that when it comes time to creating the dish, it’s a breeze. We liked consuming these thighs over pasta with a salad, however they’d be scrumptious paired with a grain and a inexperienced as properly.

What You Want for Balsamic Hen Thighs

For the balsamic hen marinadE

• Balsamic Vinegar: Infuses a wealthy, tangy-sweet taste and helps tenderize the hen.
• Olive Oil: Gives a wealthy texture and enhances the general richness of the dish.
• Dijon Mustard: Provides a zesty kick and helps emulsify the marinade.
• Brown Sugar: Balances the acidity of the balsamic with a little bit of sweetness.
• Dried Thyme: Provides a heat herby taste to the marinade.

For the Hen

• Boneless, Skinless Hen Thighs: Serves because the protein base and soaks up the flavorful marinade.
• Olive Oil (once more): Used for cooking the hen and enhancing its taste.
• Dry White Wine: Deglazes the pan, and provides depth to the sauce.
• Tomato Paste: Introduces a wealthy, tomato-y taste to the sauce.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Present bursts of juicy sweetness and vibrant coloration.
• Mozzarella Pearls: Provides creamy, tacky goodness. Don’t skip these!

Straightforward Ingredient Swaps

Hen: We’ve examined this recipe with boneless, skinless hen thighs in addition to breasts. Bone-in hen thighs will work, too, however they may want an extended time to sear and cook dinner. 

Mozzarella: You should use massive mozzarella pearls or chunks of mozzarella rather than the small pearls. 

For a thicker sauce: Begin by eradicating the hen from the pan. Then, take away ½ cup of the liquid within the pan and whisk 3 teaspoons of cornstarch into the sauce. Add the cornstarch sauce again into the pan and convey to a light-weight simmer till it thickens, after which add the hen again into the pan.  

Prime Suggestions

Keep away from inserting the hen thighs on the pan chilly: This may increasingly trigger the hen to stay to the recent pan.

Season the hen thighs properly: Don’t skip on the marinating time for this hen recipe! Permitting sufficient time for the meat to marinade will yield a way more flavorful hen ultimately.

Enable for the mozzarella to soften: Bear in mind to high this dish with mozzarella when there’s 5-10 minutes of bake time left. This can give the cheese sufficient time to soften — and who doesn’t love gooey mozzarella ????

Storage

Retailer any leftover hen thighs in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 to 4 days. Word that the sauce will thicken because the hen sits.​

To reheat, place within the oven at 350°F and bake till heated by way of or when the hen reaches an inside temperature of 165°F.

Methods to Serve this Dish

We advocate serving the hen over pappardelle pasta, however any pasta will do. On the lookout for one thing on the greener aspect? We love serving this with our caprese quinoa salad, The Cheese Knees’ traditional caprese salad, roasted broccoli, or our balsamic sea salt roasted brussels sprouts.