Baked Balsamic Chicken

Name: Baked Balsamic Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 12 servings (1-1/2 cups onion sauce).
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 2 medium red onions, chopped; 1 roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds); 1/2 cup dry red wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth; 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 2 hours + standing YIELD: 12 servings (1-1/2 cups onion sauce).

As far as roast chicken ideas go, this baked balsamic chicken recipe is one of our favorites. When the aroma from this dish fills your house, your family will think you spent all day cooking. But this elegant Sunday-special roast chicken, flavored with rosemary, wine and balsamic vinegar, is surprisingly simple to make. —Tracy Tylkowski, Omaha, Nebraska

Ingredients

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 medium red onions, chopped
1 roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds)
1/2 cup dry red wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Mix rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Place onions in a roasting pan; place chicken over onions, breast side up.
2. Pat chicken dry. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from chicken; rub rosemary mixture under the skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks. Tuck wings under chicken; tie drumsticks together.
3. Mix wine and vinegar; pour over chicken. Roast 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. (Cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly.)
4. Remove chicken from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. Transfer onion and pan drippings to a small bowl; skim fat. Remove and discard skin from chicken before serving. Serve with onion sauce.

Nutrition Facts

3 ounces cooked chicken (skin removed) with 2 tablespoons sauce: 182 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 77mg cholesterol, 275mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 25g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat.