Tomato Balsamic Braised Chicken recipe is packed with bold, warm and comforting flavors. Cooked to perfection, it's also easy to prepare. There's a not-so-secret key to making the best chicken ever. 
Would you ever order a dish on a menu called, "Really Good Chicken?"
Well, that's what should be the name of this recipe. All I kept thinking while I was making and tasting it, was that it was really, really good chicken!
We all love really good chicken recipes, right? And there's a reason why this one is so good -- and why every chicken recipe can be this good.
The Ingredients
- dried, mild Hatch chile peppers
- onion
- garlic
- tomato paste
- sweet paprika
- cinnamon
- fresh tomatoes
- balsamic vinegar
- and of course, chicken
All of these flavors, combined with juicy chicken, are warm and comforting.
When to Serve Tomato Balsamic Braised Chicken
While this chicken recipe is a wonderful comfort food for fall and winter, the abundance of fresh tomatoes makes it just as great a choice in the spring and summer. Just add a salad, and maybe some crusty bread and you're set.
Do you see how juicy and succulent that bite looks!?
So what is the key to making the best chicken ever?
These tips apply to all chicken recipes, not just the above.
- This is the most important, and not-so-secret key---> Above everything, cook the chicken JUST until it's cooked through -- and if possible, not a second longer.
It's simple, when chicken is tender and juicy, it's fabulous and really good! When it's overcooked, it's dry, tough and not so good.
- To make sure you don't overcook chicken when following a recipe, use the time given in chicken recipes only as a guide -- not as a concrete measurement of when it's done.
- Use a knife to cut into the thickest part of chicken towards the last third of the cooking time. You want to remove it from the oven as soon as it's no longer raw. Even if it's a little pink, that's okay. If it's cooked long enough, it can still be a bit pink, but you'll see texture, which indicates it's no longer raw.
Chicken continues to cook (at least 5 more degrees) after it's removed from the oven, while it's resting.
- You can also test the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken, should not be any higher than 165°F. This means it should come out of the oven between 155°F and 160°F! (Be sure the thermometer isn't touching a bone because this will result in an inaccurate reading.)
- Chicken should always "rest" a good few minutes after it comes out of the oven. The resting times will vary, depending on if it's a whole chicken, cut up pieces, etc. This allow the juices to settle, which will make each bite juicier.
- Be sure to season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper before adding it to the recipe.
- If it works for the recipe you're cooking, leave the chicken on the bone. Cooking times will be longer, but it will almost always produce a juicier product. Cooking it with the skin on will also help keep it moist. Sometimes I cook it with the skin on, and then remove it before serving. This is up to you.
No matter how delicious the flavor, if it's overcooked, it won't be great
- Of course marinating and/or brining chicken will add flavor, as will a sauce and whatever seasonings you use, but this doesn't supersede overcooking it.
- All of these rules of thumb apply to all cooking methods. In this recipe, we're braising the chicken, but they also apply for roasting, sautéing, grilling, and so on.
A Few More Really Good Chicken Recipes . . .
Achiote Marinated Chicken
Simple Honey Lemon Roasted Chicken
Sheet Pan Chipotle Chicken with Corn Salsa
Lemon Herb Chicken Under a Brick
Baked Coconut Mango Chicken
I hope you enjoy the Tomato Balsamic Braised Chicken and all of these really good chicken recipes.
Tomato Balsamic Braised Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 dried mild Hatch or Anaheim chile peppers
- olive oil for the pan
- 2 ½ cups yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ pounds fresh tomatoes, washed and dried, cut into fourths
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 approximately (3 ¼-pound) whole cut up chicken, bone-in, skin-off
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil, then reduce to low and add the dried peppers. Cover the pot and let them simmer for about 30 minutes. Then turn the heat off, keep the peppers covered and let them sit until they're soft. Another 30 minutes is sufficient, but the longer the better. When they're done, remove them from the pot but SAVE the cooking liquid! Remove the stems from the peppers and use your hands to open them and remove the seeds. (You can also use a small spoon or the back of a knife to gently scrape them off.) Set the prepared peppers aside.
- While the peppers are hydrating, preheat the oven to 375°F, adjust a rack to the center.
- Then coat the bottom of a large, deep, oven proof sauté pan with olive oil. Place it over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and sauté, stirring periodically, until the onions are caramelized and soft, about 15 minutes.
- Then add the tomato paste, paprika and cinnamon and stir. If it seems dry, add a bit more olive oil. Sauté this mixture for a few minutes, until it's very aromatic and the tomato paste is beginning to brown.
- Add the fresh tomatoes to a blender or food processor with the hydrated, seeded peppers and ¾ cup of the cooking liquid. (Now you may discard the rest of the liquid.) Blend until smooth, and then pour this into the sauté pan with the onion mixture. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir to blend. Season with a bit of salt and pepper -- and then season with more (if necessary) to taste after the chicken is done. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
- Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and then arrange them in the pan, coating them as much as possible with the sauce and trying not to overlap them.
- Place the pan in the preheated 375°F oven and braise just until the chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. At the halfway point, cover the pan lightly with foil. Try to remove the pan as soon as the chicken isn't pink anymore -- keep checking towards the end of the cooking time. (You can use a sharp knife to poke into the thickest part of one of the breasts to see if it's done.)
- Let the chicken "rest" for a few minutes before serving. It's delicious over rice, pasta, or a nice chunk of rustic bread.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Lizthechef
I agree - this sounds really, really good - and I need a new chicken recipe, truly.
valentina
Thanks, Liz. 😉
Rachel
Yes, Valentina, it does sound really, REALLY, good - love the idea of the balsamic in there - must give it a try.
valentina
Thank you! Hope you try it Rachel! 🙂
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
Veggie man is livin' high on the damn hog these days, eh?
valentina
Dorothy, you just made me laugh so hard! When I go to the market now and ask what he wants, he says, "MEAT!" 😀
David
It sounds comforting - and, yes, really good! We, too, need new chicken recipes! Thanks! xo
valentina
Hope you try it! 🙂
Sippitysup
Really! GREG
valentina
Yes, really! 😉
Coco in the Kitchen
Valentina bella, this sounds quick & tasty.
We eat a lot of chicken and things get boring all too often.
I can't wait to put your recipe onto the table! xo
KalynsKitchen
Happy Saturday! Just letting you know I featured this recipe in my monthly round-up of 25 Deliciously Healthy Low-Carb Recipes from October 2015. Hope a lot of my readers will come over here and try it!
valentina
Wow, thank you so much, Kalyn! I really appreciate it, and happy Saturday to you, too! 😀
Fletch
Sounds fantastic. I can't wait to make it. Can one use fresh Hatch peppers or must they be dried. Hatch pepper season is here. I bought some fresh peppers and thought I'd try your recipe with the fresh ones. If I can only use dried ones, where might I find them? Thanks, Valentina.
Fletch
valentina
Hi Fletch! Yes, absolutely you can use fresh! I'd add them roasted, peeled and seeds removed to the blender with the tomatoes -- and the amount will depend on whether the Hatch you get are mild or hot -- you're call! 😉 Enjoy and thanks for checking out the recipe.
sippitysup
You had me at warmly spiced... GREG
valentina
Love it, Greg. 🙂
Eha
I hate to be a bore and repeat what everyone else is saying, but: I KNOW this will be REALLY, really good ! I know I am going to make it in the next few days: the recipe is already pinned above my kitchen bench ! I did not realize that I also needed to change my basic chicken-to-do recipe. . methinks I do ! Sorry to have been boring but . . . 🙂 !
valentina
If this is boring, I love boring. 😉 Thank you, Eha. Hope you think it's "really good!" ~Valentina
2pots2cook
Four seasons comforting suggestion that makes me think about cooking it out in the opened air with freezing beer in my hand 🙂 Heaven ( I mean chicken 🙂 ) indeed ! Thank you dear !
valentina
Thank you! Freezing beer in hand would be perfect to have while cooking this. 😀 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
Love the name of this recipe! And it sure sounds like an accurate description -- the recipe sounds terrific. Thanks!
valentina
Thanks, John! Happy you like the name. 😉 ~Valentina
Nancy Buchanan
I don't even have to try this recipe to know that it is, indeed, REALLY, REALLY good chicken!! I love all of those flavors!!!!
valentina
Aww, thank you Nancy. If you try it, I hope you agree with the title. 😉 ~Valentina
Liz
Oh, yeah!!! This does sound REALLY good! I always have chicken in the freezer and am typically in a rut when it comes to chicken recipes. So glad to have new inspiration!!
valentina
Many thanks, Liz. Smart to always have chicken in the freezer. I should start doing that, too. Enjoy! ~Valentina
Kelly | Foodtasia
Valentina, Really, Really Good Chicken sounds really, really good to me! The flavors are wonderful! Thanks for all the great tips for success. A perfectly done chicken is a glorious thing! All of the recipes look so delicious - where to start!
valentina
Thank you, Kelly. I agree, a perfectly cooked chicken can be glorious. I don't use that word in cooking often enough. Love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron
“Warmly Spiced, Smoky, Tomato-Pepper and Balsamic Braised Chicken.” works for me. Sounds great and as it's still quite cool here in the evenings I'm not waiting until fall to try this one.
valentina
Thanks, Ron. My husband jokes that my recipe titles are often too long, as I habitually tend to list all of the ingredients. 🙂 Enjoy! ~Valentina
Deb|EastofEdenCooking
All those bold flavors give the chicken such a boost of flavor! The recipe is weeknight friendly too, fabulous.
valentina
Thank you, Deb. Yes, totally perfect for weeknights. 🙂 Enjoy! ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
I remember this from a few years ago. And it sounds just as good now as it did then! I made a version inspired by it right after - we were in a chicken slump then, and the spicy aspect was perfect. I mixed the cinnamon and smoked paprika with some orange zest and juice and reduced the tomatoes (and used cherry tomatoes)... because I didn’t have enough! It was super good. Thanks - as always - for your inspiration!
valentina
David, adding the orange sounds perfect. I'll have to try that next time. Makes me very happy to inspire! And right back atcha! 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced
Haha! I'm totally laughing at the recipe name here, Valentina. I get it, though. Sometimes recipes just don't lend themselves to an easy name. I'm thinking 'really, really, really, really good chicken' would be a hit here. I mean that combination of ingredients is totally making my mouth water right now!
valentina
Thanks so much, David!! 🙂
mimi rippee
Great ideas! I love chicken but I never order it in restaurants because they don't cook it properly! So I make a lot of chicken at home. I really love the coconut mango idea, but my husband won't eat meat with fruit. So weird. What I put up with!!!
valentina
Mimi, I know what you mean about ordering chicken in restaurants. (Salmon too!) Funny about your husband. 😀 Mine was a vegetarian for 20 yrs until a couple of yrs ago. What a relief. 😉 Ha! Enjoy and thank you. ~Valentina
Helena Orstem
Great idea! I love chicken but I never order it in restaurants because they don’t cook it properly!
valentina
Thanks so much, Helena! Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina