Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar and Lemon Chicken Thighs
**6-8 Servings:**
Ingredients:
3/4 cup O’Live A Little Blackberry Dark Balsamic Vinegar
¼ cup lemon juice & zest of one lemon
1/2 cup whole blackberries for garnish
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
4 tbsp O’Live A Little Lovely Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 large basil leaves, thinly sliced
4 skin on chicken thighs
Salt & Pepper
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Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season both sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper and allow to temper at room temperature while you make the glaze..
3. In a small sauce pot, combine the O'Live A Little's Blackberry Dark Balsamic Vinegar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Heat over high heat and bring to a simmer.
4. Combine cornstarch and water together with a fork until well combined. Slowly whisk the cornstarch/water mixture into the simmering berry glaze and allow to simmer for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. (If grilling see grilling option below) If using oven: Heat a large sauté pan (oven proof) over high heat and then add 4 T of O’Live A Little’s Lovely Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Once the oil is hot, add the 4 chicken thighs and allow to sear for 3 minutes on both sides.
6. Take off heat, baste chicken on all sides with Blackberry balsamic glaze. Place the entire pan in the oven and allow to gently cook the chicken the rest of the way for approx. 15-20 minutes, basting every 5 mins with glaze. Reserve some glaze to baste chicken after removed from oven. If there is glaze left, serve on the side for additional dipping. Remove the thighs from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
7. Remove the thighs from the pan or grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Plate, drizzle for glaze if desired, sprinkle with chopped basil and add few fresh blackberries for garnish.
GRILLING OPTION: If you prefer to grill, once glaze is complete simply grill the chicken thighs without glaze for two minutes each side (till skin starts to brown and develop a nice color) then, baste occasionally till done. Then see #7 above.
WHAT TEMP TO COOK CHICKEN: Chicken should be cooked till 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are looking for an excellent way to always know what temp your meat is when grilling, roasting, baking check out this awesome meat thermometer... (my hubby uses it all the time!).
