What kind of tomatoes work best in this recipe?
You have a few choices for tomatoes in this recipe- cherry tomatoes, diced Roma tomatoes, or grape tomatoes. I really like cherry tomatoes because they are nice and sweet but also the perfect size to fit around the chicken in a skillet. When sliced in half, as the recipe calls for, you only need a pint of them. If you love tomatoes I would encourage you to put in a pint and a half because they shrink a little as they are cooking. On a purely aesthetic note, I really like multi colored cherry tomatoes because the addition of dark purple and yellow are so beautiful to look at in the finished dish.
What brand of balsamic vinegar is best in this recipe? And does it have to be aged?
I used Lucini's Aged Balsamic Vinegar but you can use any kind of balsamic vinegar you have access to. Whole Foods Brand 365 aged balsamic vinegar is good too. In terms of aged vs non-aged, I don't think the difference is very noticeable in this recipe. Of course, using an aged balsamic could give you more flavor but I'm not an expert chef so I feel that the regular balsamic vinegar works just fine for this easy chicken recipe if you want to save some money at the store.
Do I have to add garlic in this recipe?
The amount of garlic this recipe calls for is quite small so if you are opposed to garlic you don't have to add it in. However, I love garlic and next time I make this recipe I am going to double the amount the recipe called for because I always feel you can't have enough garlic 🙂 If you love garlic as much as I do, be sure to check out the Garlic Chicken recipe on my blog.
Are there any good substitutes for balsamic vinegar if I don't have it or like it?
I did a quick Google search and found that if you don't like balsamic vinegar or can't find it at your local grocery store, you can make a nice substitute using 1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar plus ½ teaspoon sugar to substitute for 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
Recipe Video:
Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ tsp pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- In a ziplock bag or large bowl add the chicken along with the balsamic vinegar mixture and let marinate in the refrigerator for minimum 1 hour to over night.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Lightly grease a baking pan with olive oil or non stick spray and place the chicken breasts inside, giving them a little breathing room around their edges.
- Roast the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 3 minutes.
- Spoon any of the juices in the pan on top of the chicken and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Turn this into a full sheet pan meal by adding green beans or asparagus to the baking pan halfway through baking. Add heartier vegetables like carrots and diced potatoes at the beginning.
- It’s important to allow the chicken to rest before slicing as it gives it time to redistribute the juices. If you slice too early, all the juices will run out.
- This recipe is great for meal prepping as well as it reheats wonderfully. Make extra balsamic chicken breasts to bring for lunch the next day. When stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this lasts 3 to 4 days.
- For easier clean-up, you can line the baking sheet with tin foil before spraying with non-stick.
- If you double the recipe, make sure to use a larger pan so there’s enough space between the chicken. The space allows the extra sauce on the pan reduce.
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