Balsamic Chicken Recipe

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Bright and budget-friendly, this Balsamic Chicken Recipe is one of the best weeknight meal ideas around. This easy chicken dinner is made with plenty of fresh tomatoes and rosemary and is ready in 30 minutes or less.

Cooked balsamic chicken and tomatoes in a black skillet.


 

Although chicken breasts are an American weeknight dinner staple, I adore quick-cooking, flavorful, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in this easy Balsamic Chicken Recipe. Since thigh meat is slightly higher in fat, it’s moist and less likely to get dry when you cook it.

The balsamic chicken marinade is made with a balanced blend of whole grain mustard, balsamic vinaigrette, and honey. Toss some grape tomatoes and fresh rosemary in the pan to round out this delicious, wholesome meal. If you love these flavors, you’ll find yourself making this simple chicken dinner recipe again and again.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for balsamic chicken.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Balsamic vinegar: Aceto balsamico, or balsamic vinegar, is a versatile pantry staple. Although balsamic vinegar is made from Trebbiano grapes and grape must, it’s not technically a wine vinegar. This concentrated liquid is slightly sweet and dreamy in everything from homemade vinaigrettes and glazes to soups and marinades and pan sauces like this.
  • Whole grain mustard: Grab a bottle at the supermarket or stir together a batch of homemade mustard (it’s easy!). Or, substitute Dijon mustard.
  • Chicken thighs: Or substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. The skin gets golden brown and crisps up beautifully.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour.
Chicken thighs in a clear bowl marinating.
  1. Remove from marinade (reserve marinade) and pat chicken dry with paper towels. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, heat extra virgin olive oil until shimmering. Add chicken in a single layer, skin-side down. Cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip chicken and add tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes have started to pop and release their juices, about 5 minutes. 
Chicken and tomatoes in a black skillet.
  1. Add reserved marinade and rosemary sprigs. Bring to boil, then transfer uncovered to the oven.
Cooked balsamic chicken and tomatoes in a black skillet.
  1. Bake until the chicken is tender and reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read digital meat thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and remove rosemary stems. 
Cooked balsamic chicken and tomatoes in a black skillet.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This Balsamic Chicken Recipe creates four dinner-sized servings that include 6 ounces of chicken each.
  • Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Spicy: Add red pepper flakes (a pinch or a spoonful, depending on your taste) to the skillet with the tomatoes in step 4.
  • Herbs: I love the fresh rosemary with the tomatoes and balsamic glaze, but fresh thyme or chives would also be delicious. You need an herb with a strong enough flavor to stand up to the balsamic vinegar.
  • Melted mozzarella: Once the chicken is perfectly cooked and the sauce is finished, top with shredded mozzarella cheese (or thick slabs of water-packed fresh mozzarella) and broil until melted and bubbly.
  • Chicken breasts: To make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breast, butterfly the chicken and then pound out to an even thickness with a meat mallet between two sheets of plastic wrap before marinading.
  • Sides to try: I prefer to pair this 30-minute chicken dinner with my best, biggest leafy green salad and a loaf of crusty bread to soak up every last drop of the sauce. Alternatively, skip the bread and serve this Balsamic Chicken Recipe over a bed of buttery mashed potatoes, baked rice, zucchini noodles, or grits.
Balsamic chicken and tomatoes and a salad on a white plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What other herbs could I try in this recipe?

No rosemary handy? Try thyme instead. Or add fresh basil or chives as a garnish rather than cooking with the sauce.

Could I make this same concept with a different protein?

Sure! Shrimp, steak, or pork would also taste incredible soaked in this marinade and cooked alongside the tomato-spiked sauce. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly to cook your desired choice to a safe temperature. (Reference the USDA’s safe cooking temperature guide and use your digital thermometer.)

How do I make this recipe without an oven-safe skillet?

If you don’t have a skillet that can go in the oven, don’t worry! After boiling the mixture in step 3, transfer everything to a baking dish and pop it in the oven. You may need to increase the baking time to accommodate the cold baking dish compared to a hot cast-iron skillet, but it can work.

More weeknight dinner ideas

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Balsamic chicken and tomatoes in a black dish.

Balsamic Chicken Recipe

Bright and budget-friendly, this Balsamic Chicken Recipe is one of the best weeknight meal ideas around. This easy chicken dinner is made with plenty of fresh tomatoes and rosemary and is ready in 30 minutes or less.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Calories 399
5 from 50 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
  • Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour. Remove from marinade (reserve marinade) and pat chicken dry with paper towels. 
  • In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add chicken in a single layer, skin-side down. Cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Flip chicken and add tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes have started to pop release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add reserved marinade and rosemary sprigs. Bring to boil, then transfer uncovered to the oven.
  • Bake until the chicken reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and remove rosemary stems. 

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Balsamic vinegar: Aceto balsamico, or balsamic vinegar, is a versatile pantry staple. Although balsamic vinegar is made from Trebbiano grapes and grape must, it’s not technically a wine vinegar. This concentrated liquid is slightly sweet and dreamy in everything from homemade vinaigrettes and glazes to soups and marinades and pan sauces like this.
  2. Whole grain mustard: Grab a bottle at the supermarket or stir together a batch of homemade mustard (it’s easy!).
  3. Chicken thighs: Or substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. The skin gets golden brown and crisps up beautifully.
  4. Yield: This Balsamic Chicken Recipe creates four dinner-sized servings that including 6 ounces of chicken each.
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 thighCalories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 20gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 186mgPotassium: 573mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 1081IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. I’ve been making this recipe for my family for years. It is my husband’s favorite dinner. Super easy and the absolutely tastiest thing ever. It’s something he wishes I could make double of every time so we can have lunch leftovers (unfortunately our pan is too small lol). I cook it with basil (which is what an older version of this recipe used to use) as he doesn’t like rosemary. The honey makes the sauce so yummy. Definitely a 10/10 recipe!!!

    1. Thank you for the lovely comment, Valerie! I appreciate you taking the time to write! Take care! – Meggan

  2. I think I’ve made this four times in the past six weeks! Super tasty, especially with chicken thighs; we mostly have breasts or tenderloins in the house but for this recipe I will definitely keep buying thighs 😁5 stars

  3. I made the chicken thighs with cherry tomatoes, and it was delicious. Mine looked just like the photo. An easy and quick weeknight dinner. It also seemed healthy. I serves it with air fryer roast potatoes.

    1. Thank you so much for the lovely comment, Sandra! I’m glad you loved it! – Meggan

  4. Two bites in and I’m posting a review. So, so SO good! I love the flavors and this was so easy to make and so fancy looking. The tomatoes are bursting with flavor. The thighs as well! I made a few swaps, one was using yellow mustard since I forgot to pick up grainy mustard white at the store. And I mixed in dried basil in the reserved marinade and at the very end added a handful of chopped red onions. This recipe will go into regular rotation! I wish I could post my pics…I felt like such a chef!5 stars

  5. This recipe is amazing and so delicious. I make a little extra sauce to pour over my rice. YUM!5 stars

    1. Hi Hailey, unfortunately I haven’t tested this so I can’t say for sure how it would affect the recipe. Sorry about that! – Meggan

  6. Serious conversation errors in the Balsamic Chicken recipe guys. I’m 40 years a Food Technologist so Im pretty sure 63g of salt & 227g garlic are nuts 😁.
    29.57 ml balsamic vinegar (see note 1)
    ▢4 (8 ounce) honey
    ▢2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (see note 2)
    ▢226.8 g garlic minced
    ▢63.75 ml Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    ▢6 g olive oil
    ▢4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 ½ pounds, see note 3)
    ▢1 pint grape tomatoes (see note 4)
    ▢2 sprigs rosemary broken in half

  7. Excellent and so easy. I don’t transfer to the oven. I keep it on the stove in a nonstick pan. When the directions say to put it on the oven, I just put a lid on it and finish off on the stove. I use boneless, skinless breasts. Have made with basil and rosemary. Both are fabulous. One of the best recipes I’ve discovered in 2020!5 stars

  8. Hi is the calorie count for all 4 servings, or does each individual serving have 521 cals?

    1. Hi Christina, sorry for not getting back to you sooner. The 521 calories if for one serving, not all. It’s assuming 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 6 ounces each, and that you are eating the skin. If you didn’t eat the skin, the calories drop to 358. I also think the true calorie count is slightly less, because here the 6 ounces would include the bone, which you don’t eat, but I can’t find the information on how much chicken you’re left with if you remove the bone. I need to get a pack of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and remove the bone and weigh them to know. I hope I haven’t confused you. Anyway, if you are concerned about calories, don’t eat the skin and that will help a lot! You could also make this recipe with boneless skinless chicken breast. It’s still really good. Thanks! -Meggan

  9. Easy recipe on a weekday evening and the flavors (tangy, sweet) are wonderful. I did forget the rosemary, so need to remember to snip some next time. I used fresh diced Roma tomatoes because that’s what I had on hand. I also sautéed mushrooms in a different pan with some of the marinade (simultaneously while chicken was in the big pan), then combined it all together before placing in the oven. I served it over a bed of fresh spinach (for healthier meal), but also served white rice as another option). Excellent dinner!5 stars

  10. I made this in our quarantine time and my whole family loved it! From my parents to my kids! It’s such a simple yet packed with lovely flavors recipe ! Thanks so much for sharing it, keep up the good work!

  11. This is one of the yummiest and easiest recipes I have made in a very long time. I added oregano as well and made 1.5 times the sauce recipe. Never transferred to oven. Hubby says it’s in the top three of what I cook. Even picky child liked the chicken…his I didn’t serve with any of the tomatoes. Served with bread and steamed asparagus. Leftovers made amazing chicken sandwiches. I wish I had a skillet big enough to hold 6 chicken breasts. Have sent this recipe url to so many folks. Hope you get more traffic on your site because your recipes rock!5 stars

    1. Hi Cheryl, this makes my day! The recipe is super simple so all the credit goes to you for cooking it perfectly. I am so happy to hear all of this. If you send me your address, I’ll send you a skillet big enough to hold 6 chicken breasts (there is one at Williams-Sonoma I love that I will ship to you). My email is meggan@culinaryhill.com, just mail me your address if you want to! Thanks again and take care. Happy Cooking. -Meggan

  12. Dishes like this are perfect easy healthy meals after heavy eating over the holidays! Great recipe!5 stars

    1. Thank you Elizabeth! I think so too, it’s all about keeping it simple so we might actually cook the food! Happy new year! -Meggan

  13. I made this for dinner, I’m no cook but it was amazing. I used chicken breasts, which stayed juicy and I did reduce the sauce after leaving the chicken to rest and it made it thicker. I ate half a baguette mopping up the sauce in the pan. 5 stars

  14. Am dying to try this but tomatoes are seasonal in the tropics so won’t see any for many months and grape or cherry tomatoes make an appearance every 2 years or so. If push comes to shove, can I use well-drained tinned tomatoes?

    1. Hi Taylor, YES OF COURSE! It should still be delicious. I hope you try it, and I hope you love it! Where in the tropics? Thank you for visiting the site! Take care.

  15. Thank you so much for this recipe. I have made this over five times now. Everyone loved it! ??? this has become my favourite recipe now! Gonna make it again tonight, with mashed potato. ?5 stars

    1. Hey Anoosha, thank you so much! It’s one of my favorites and I make it ALL THE TIME too! Serving it with mashed potatoes sounds like the best idea ever. :) Thank you for sharing! Have a great weekend!

  16. Just made this and added mushrooms to the mixture, it’s fantastic! Will definitely be making again :D 

  17. Oooh Meggan, I LOVE this!!
    Baked chicken works so brilliantly with tomatoes, and I love the idea of adding balsamic too.
    The best part about this post though is your VIDEO! I LOVE that you’ve put the Godfather theme to it ….lol! Giggling away here! Off to subscribe to your Youtube channel! :-)5 stars

  18. I made this last night, I added in red onions… it was amazing. It was the perfect light dish that felt like comfort food! (We served it with mashed potatoes… which helped with the comfort food part ha ha)

    I might even add in spinach next time. Yum!5 stars

    1. Yay, that is so great to hear Alena! Serving it with mashed potatoes sounds epic. :D Thank you for the idea!

    1. Thank you so much, Jacinta! I completely agree, it’s the simplest (non)recipe ever, and yet I just love it. When I’m really hungry, I can usually hold off long enough to make it. :) Thanks again!

  19. I’m in the process of making this right now! I’m so excited to be trying a new way to make chicken! The husband claims to dislike vinegar, so we’ll see how it goes over!

  20. Just made this tonight and it was great! My girlfriend loved it a lot. A bit crunchy on the outside, but very tender on the inside. I may add a bit more vinegar next time (well, I used Chinese dark vinegar actually and it worked fine). I’ll definitely cook this again in the future. Thanks!

    (sorry for the Guest comment, there was a problem with my login at first)

    1. Thank you so much for trying the recipe, Luke! I’m glad you liked it. I will definitely have to try Chinese dark vinegar. I love vinegar on chicken so I’m sure that’s a good one too. Thanks again!!

    2. Sorry, I thought I had replied to your comment but I don’t know where it went! I am so glad you loved it, I swear nothing is easier! The Chinese dark vinegar sounds like a fun twist to try!

  21. Wow, this dish looks so beautiful! What a nice way to use balsamic vinegar in a recipe. Will definitely try it!

    1. Thank you so much, Maggie! It’s super easy and colorful and everything I love about food. :)

  22. Using balsamic vinegar is my favorite way to get flavor into chicken breasts and this dish has all my favorite flavors. It looks really tasty.5 stars