This dish has been in heavy rotation in our home for at least 20 years. Originally made from an Italian recipe, it has morphed into our own. When the rosemary and vinegar are added to the pan of chicken, alchemy occurs. The vinegar deglazes the brown bits and reduces into a syrup, permeating the chicken with an agrodolce (sweet and sour) flavor. The dish is even better the day after it’s made.–Lucinda Scala Quinn
Vinegar-Glossed Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup best-quality red-wine vinegar
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 3 sprigs of rosemary, (about 1 tablespoon minced)
- 5 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, (large pieces, such as breast, should be cut in half)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth, plus more as needed
Instructions
- At least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours before cooking, combine the vinegar, garlic, and rosemary in a small bowl.
- Thoroughly season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a 14-inch skillet (or a couple smaller skillets) over medium-high heat and swirl in enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down. You should hear an immediate sizzle when the chicken pieces hit the pan. Don’t crowd the chicken; leave space around each piece and work in batches. Don’t move the pieces of o it takes a couple of minutes to sear the chicken so it doesn’t stick.
- Cook the chicken until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate while you brown the remaining batches. You may need to reduce the head a little to keep the chicken from overbrowning. The chicken won’t yet be cooked through.
- Place all the browned chicken pieces back in the skillet. Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce is reduced, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high and pour in the vinegar mixture. Tilt the skillet to swirl the sauce and stir as the vinegar evaporates and the mixture reduces to a glaze, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
We really liked this dish. It definitely fed men and boys, which is a big plus as far as I’m concerned. It was also delicious, another big plus.
I did kind of wish there was more sauce in the end because the sauce was so, so tasty. But that could easily be remedied by doubling the sauce recipes. (We’re a big sauce family.)
I would actually try this same dish with boneless, skinless chicken breasts when I’m pressed for time, which is just about always. I think it could be equally great that way.
If you need something to call your guests to the table, just let them inhale this enticing aroma! They won’t be able to resist. This chicken is flavorful, lovely to look at on the plate, and even better in the mouth. The red-wine vinegar infused with some garlic and fresh rosemary would be good on just about anything, and on this chicken it is perfect. There’s just enough zing to bring out the great taste of the cooked chicken that’s still juicy and moist inside while retaining some degree of crispness on the outside.
You won’t be disappointed. It’s an ideal recipe for a dinner party—the smooth, vibrant taste of the dish will elevate the entire evening.
Just a question to clarify—after you make the vinegar mixture, do you marinate the chicken in it for up to 2 hours and then drain and save the marinade for after you brown the chicken? It’s not clear in the instructions. Thanks much.
Hi Holly, I can see how you interpreted the recipe that way. The garlic and rosemary are marinated in the vinegar and then that mixture is added to the pan during the last part cooking. I’ve edited the recipe to be clearer.
Thanks very much–going to try this for dinner tonight!
Don’t forget to stop back and tell us what you think!
I have a very similar recipe that includes anchovies, which I think are an excellent addition to the flavor profile of the dish. It also gets finished with a splash of good balsamic vinegar to smooth the edges.
Hi and thanks for sharing this recipe. I am wondering why each piece of chicken should be cut in half, specifically the smaller pieces.
Charlene, I checked the recipe and changed it. Simply cut only large pieces, such as breasts, in half. That direction is to assure all the pieces cook at the same time.
Thanks for the quick reply. That is what I assumed, but wanted to be sure I wasn’t missing something. I look forward to trying this!
I made this tonight but used balsamic vinegar and it was quite good.
I kept the garlic at a medium, not a fine mince and I really liked getting a bite of the marinated garlic here and there…so yum.
I think I might prefer this with all chicken thighs. I cut the pieces small like you said but I dislike the way cutting anywhere other than the joint leaves the occasional bone shard.
Oh final thing, I threw in a bunch of mushrooms with the vinegar at the last step. They kind of got lost in the mix.
I, too, sometimes prefer just to use chicken thighs, for the same reason as well, as to assure everyone little body at the table that his or her brother did NOT get the best piece.
What type mushroom did you use? I love to plunk mushrooms into dishes like this, but I sometimes find that they just don’t add much as you discovered here. GG Mora (comments below) adds anchovy which might be a better addition. Think I am going to try that next time–I’ll let you know if it changes the flavor or if it is indeed the magical finishing touch. Thanks for sharing your additions and hints!
Karen