Molasses Balsamic Glazed Chicken

You will love this Molasses Balsamic Glazed Chicken if you like sweet and sour chicken. This is essentially sweet and sour but made with balsamic vinegar rather than white vinegar and with molasses rather than white sugar.

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• Molasses Balsamic Glazed Chicken
• Serving Suggestions
• Tips for the Best Results
• Storage and Leftovers
• Final Thoughts
• Recipe

So, it has that same sweet and sour flavour that you love, but with more depth because of the base flavour of the molasses and balsamic. It also looks cool because it has that deep dark brown, almost black colour. So, if you have a pack of chicken sitting around and don't know what to do with it, look no further.

Molasses Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Ingredients

One of the many nice things about this Molasses Balsamic Glazed Chicken recipe is that you likely have all the ingredients on hand already. If you don't, they are easy to find.

So, what are they? It should come as no surprise that the first ingredient is chicken. I use chicken drum sticks in the recipe, but you can use full legs, thighs, breasts, or even wings. You may need to adjust the cooking time a little bit depending on what cut you use. Any cut of chicken will work.

The other ingredients are balsamic vinegar, molasses, salt, pepper, chicken stock, garlic, and a little bit of cooking oil. I prefer peanut oil, but grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or canola will work.

Preparing The Chicken

The best way to get a good sear on any piece of meat is to ensure that it has a dry surface. The easiest way to do that is to dry it with a paper towel. So, that's what you should do. Use a paper towel and dry the surface of the chicken as best you can.

Then, season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Next, heat a large oven-safe skillet on high heat. Add the cooking oil, then the chicken. Sear on all sides. If you want to dig deeper into why a proper sear matters, I talk about this in my post on why it's important to preheat your pan.

Building the Molasses Balsamic Glaze

Once the chicken is seared, add the garlic and saute for one minute. Next, pour in the molasses and balsamic vinegar. Cook the sauce until a line drawn on the pan's surface with a spoon stays for one second.

Next, add the chicken stock, bring it to a boil, and cook for three minutes. The sauce will look thin at this point, but don't worry. It will thicken up beautifully in the oven.

Baking The Molasses Balsamic Glazed Chicken

After the chicken stock has boiled for three minutes, put the pan in a 350°f oven for twenty minutes. Take the chicken out of the oven, flip it and put it back in the oven for another ten minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

Take the chicken out of the sauce and set it on a serving platter. Put the pan on high heat and boil until the sauce is thick. A line drawn on the bottom of the pan should stay for at least two seconds. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Serving Suggestions

This Molasses Balsamic Glazed Chicken pairs beautifully with a number of side dishes. The sweet and tangy glaze works especially well alongside something starchy to soak up all that sauce. Here are some of my favourite pairings:

• Mashed potatoes -- the glaze acts almost like a gravy. Try my Ultimate Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes for a real treat.
• Roasted vegetables -- carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips are especially good with the balsamic flavour.
• Rice -- plain steamed rice or a simple pilaf soaks up the glaze perfectly.
• A fresh salad -- something bright and acidic to cut through the richness of the glaze.

Tips for the Best Results

A few things I've learned from making this recipe many times over:

• Don't skip drying the chicken. Wet skin won't sear properly and you'll end up steaming instead of browning. That golden crust is where a lot of the flavour comes from.
• Use a good quality balsamic vinegar. You don't need the expensive aged stuff, but avoid the cheapest options. A mid-range balsamic will give you a much better result.
• Watch the glaze carefully when reducing it at the end. It can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds because of the sugar content in the molasses. When in doubt, pull it off the heat a little early -- it will continue to thicken as it cools.
• Use an instant-read thermometer to check that your chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°f (74°c) before pulling it from the oven.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftover glazed chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, place the chicken in a 325°f oven for about 15 minutes or until warmed through. You can also pull the meat off the bone and use it in other dishes.

The leftover chicken is excellent chopped up in a salad, tossed into a stir-fry, or piled onto a sandwich. The balsamic glaze gives the leftover meat a fantastic flavour that holds up well the next day.

Final Thoughts

Molasses Balsamic Glazed Chicken is a tasty way to transform that boring pack of chicken into something exceptional. It's sweet, it's sour, and it has depth and richness. What more could you possibly want?

If you enjoy this kind of flavour profile, you should also try my Balsamic-Glazed Pork Chops or my guide to grilling chicken breast so it stays tender and juicy. Give this recipe a shot -- I promise you won't be disappointed.

Recipe