Pomegranate-Balsamic Chicken Quarters

C – I have to be careful when Jim goes off to the Farmers Market.

He sometimes ends up getting strange ideas of what to make with the stuff he brings home. My mind usually goes into panic mode for a few seconds, before I can get the whole idea. Usually, I say yes. I am willing to try it. Usually.

This recipe was one of those ideas. He found a pomegranate product vendor at the market. He appeared with some ideas, along with a few goodies for me to try. Pomegranate Jelly for ice cream and a pomegranate balsamic vinegar for chicken. The ice cream tasted good. But, I was concerned about the chicken recipe.

I wasn’t sure how I would make it taste good. I hate using pre-made products, not knowing how much to put in. Cooking with too much vinegar can make the dish smell acidic and be over powering. I don’t bake with much vinegar either. I usually only need a small amount. So how was I going to create a tasty recipe with this product?

I wasn’t. I had to make my own. After thinking through previous recipes for chicken, I started to imagine it tasting good. A little salt with a balance of sweet and tart pomegranates mixed with balsamic and some fresh minced garlic. It might taste good. Two tablespoons of pomegranate juice, two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, some minced garlic, salt and pepper combined well. But, it needed a balance of sweetness. The pomegranate juice was too tart and the balsamic was a bit strong. With a dash of sugar, it was a perfect marinade. I was happy.

I baked and basted the chicken until it was nice and crispy. I topped it with a few pomegranate seeds and I was done. I loved it. It was a bit sweet. The garlic and the saltiness balanced it all out. It was sweet and savory. The balsamic and pomegranate added a bit of sour and rounded out the flavors well. My favorite part might be the crunchy pomegranate seeds. The warm juices inside them exploded in my mouth with each bite.

Pomegranate-Balsamic Chicken Quarters

Recipe type: Mains

Author: Christina

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 chicken leg quarters
• 2 Tbsp pomegranate juice
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar into a medium bowl. Taste to make sure the flavors are well balanced. Adjust any ingredient if needed.
3. Add chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.
4. On a baking pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil, place chicken on the pan and reserve the liquid. Place chicken in the oven skin side down and bake for 45 minutes. Turn legs over mid-way.
5. Place reserved liquid in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. Baste chicken with reduced sauce halfway through the cooking process.
6. Add pomegranate seeds to the sauce and coat seeds with sauce.
7. Once chicken is done, let rest for 10 minutes.
8. Plate and pour pomegranate seeds and sauce over the chicken.
9. Serve with vegetables or rice.
10. Enjoy!

3.1.08

Most times I am glad Jim goes off and explores food ideas and brings them back to the Be Mindful. Be Human. kitchen. It makes me challenge myself and helps me understand why I would like something or not like something.

This recipe I liked. But, it took me a while to get there. I really had to experiment and break things down before I could understand how to make it good.