Chicken Thighs w/ Roasted Grape Pan Sauce

I love roasted grapes, as you know by now.

I throw them on a baking sheet with cauliflower or Brussels sprouts and they take a somewhat boring vegetable, to new heights. Everyone is surprised by the sweetness the grapes impart, and wonder what they are eating.

Here, the grapes are roasted w/ the chicken, then cooked down into a pan sauce w/ a little butter and wine.

This is a lovely recipe for the nice fall weather.


Roasted Grape Chicken (adapted from Food52):

1/2 pound organic red seedless grapes
4-6 chicken legs or thighs
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 sprig fresh rosemary (about 4”), cut in half
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
black pepper
Washed and dried frisée or radicchio, for serving

For the pan sauce:

1 tablespoon minced shallot or red onion
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (room temperature)
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Salt
splashelemon juice

Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry grapes. Remove stems and place in a 12” ovenproof skillet. Toss grapes with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Place chicken pieces in a bowl, adding garlic, rosemary, 1 tablespoon olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Combine using your hands, making sure to rub into chicken and evenly distribute seasonings.

Nestle chicken pieces skin side up in the skillet, among the grapes. Roast chicken and grapes for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and golden.

During the last two minutes of cooking time, turn your oven to broil to crisp up the skin.

Using tongs, transfer chicken and 2/3 of grapes to a plate. Try and leave the fat in the pan.

Turn heat to medium high and add shallot or onion and vermouth or wine. Cook, stirring and scraping until wine has reduced, the shallot (or onion) is soft. Add chicken stock, turning down heat if necessary, and reduce until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, and incorporate butter one small cube at a time, stirring between each addition.

Season with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Stir in minced parsley.

Arrange chicken pieces and some roasted grapes on individual plates on a bed of frisée or radicchio (if using). Spoon warm sauce over chicken, serve, and enjoy.