Dill Pickle Chicken

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 75 min
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Description

Adding dill pickles to this baked chicken recipe helps to tone down the acidity of the stewed tomatoes, and results in a rich tangy sauce that's delicious with pasta and bread.

Ingredients

4 chicken leg quarters with skin, split into drumsticks and thighs
1 pinch seasoned salt, or to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickles

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2 Season chicken pieces with seasoned salt and pepper. Heat oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, discarding any accumulated grease from the skillet.
3 Reduce heat to medium and deglaze the skillet by adding balsamic vinegar. Stir gently to loosen any browned bits, until the vinegar has reduced by half and looks syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes and pickles, breaking the tomatoes into smaller pieces with a spoon. Bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Return the browned chicken to the skillet, skin-side down, and cover tightly with a lid or foil.
4 Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Uncover and continue to cook until the sauce is thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off any accumulated grease before serving.