Â鶹ÒùÔº

Total Recipe Yield: 4Ìýservings
Portion Size: 1 chicken breast
Vegan:Ìý±·´Ç
LO Vegetarian: No
Contains Pork:Ìý±·´Ç
Contains Alcohol:Ìý±·´Ç

Ingredients

• 4 half chicken breasts (bone in, skin on)
• 2 tablespoonÌýof olive oilÌý
• Garlic powder
• Ancho chili powder (optional)
• Zest and juice of one medium lemon (should be approx. ¼ cup juice)
• About 1/3 cup of low sodium soy sauce
• About 1/3 cup of maple syrup
• 3-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary, washed
• 3 tablespoonÌýof Sweet Thai Chili sauce (if unavailable, can substitute Pepper Jelly or just add a bit more maple syrup and a couple of shakes of red chili flakes, but the Thai chili sauce is the best)
• 3 small cloves of garlic, chopped (more or less depending on clove size and your love of garlic)

Directions

The recipe is a bit approximate, as the ratios can vary a bit depending on brands used, so it is important to taste and adjust to keep the flavor balance. The sauce works as a marinade, and the chicken can be marinaded in the sauce up to 24 hrs in advance, but it also works when made at the last minute.ÌýThe sauce at the bottom of the pan should be collected and spooned over the chicken when serving. ÌýIdeally, also put a small bowl on the table for guests to help themselves. The trick is to use bone-in, skin-on chicken even if you prefer to avoid the skin. ÌýThe skin helps keep the breasts moist while cooking and adds to the flavor of the sauce. The skin can always be removed at the end.

°Õ¾±³¾±ð:Ìý
Optional Marinade Time: up to 24 hours
Prep time: 15 min
Cooking time: up to 1 hour

Optional: Make sauce the night ahead and marinate chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for up to 24 hours. ÌýThe directions below assume you are making the sauce at the last minute.

• Preheat oven to 370 degrees
• Oil a baking pan with the oil to prevent sticking.
• Place 4 chicken breasts skin up in a rimmed baking pan and sprinkle with garlic powder and ancho chili powder.
• Combine lemon juice, zest, soy sauce and maple syrup in a small bowl. ÌýStir and taste the combination and adjust quantities slightly if needed to get a good balance between acid, sweet and salty. Ìý(i.e. if one of the tastes is overwhelming, add a bit more of the others so that when you stir and taste, you get hints of all of them).
• Remove the rosemary leaves from most of the sprigs and chop them finely. Ìý(I often leave one or two sprigs whole to place on the chicken before baking, but this is optional.)
• Add the rosemary leaves and Thai Chili sauce to the lemon/soy/maple mix. ÌýTaste again, and adjust flavors if needed.
• Add the chopped garlic cloves.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken and place in the middle of the oven to bake. ÌýOptionally place a couple of intact rosemary sprigs on top. ÌýSet timer for 45 minutes.
• Baste the chicken with the sauce at least 3 times during baking. ÌýThe sauce should thicken and darken gradually because of the sugar caramelizing.Ìý
• Bake until the chicken reaches a temperature of about 180 degrees (usually 45 min to an hour in my experience, but it can vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts).
• When the chicken is done, remove it to a serving platter, and then strain the sauce from the bottom of the pan into a serving bowl or gravy boat. (If you are avoiding eating chicken skin, you can optionally remove skin and bones from the breasts before serving).
• Serve the chicken with a few tablespoons of sauce spooned over it and place the rest on the table so guests can help themselves.

Why did you choose to submit this recipe?
"This baked chicken recipe has been my go-to for years. I developed it years ago, and it continues to evolve, but it has been the cornerstone of a lot of entertaining and family meals. It has a wonderful balance of salty, sweet, acid and spicy. It is always a crowd pleaser and can be scaled up as needed." -ÌýLandon Steele