Balsamic BBQ Chicken Baked with Apples and Carrots

Let's just start this with a picture:

You know what screams Fall? Putting things in the oven, with APPLES!

Could I be any more Autumn right now? Probably not. Actually maybe I could up my leaf crunching ante. Note to self: crunch more leaves.

Speaking of leaves, you know what thing that I really miss I miss about Autumn now that I'm living in a city? Those silly orange pumpkin garbage bags that everyone in the 'burbs rakes their leaves into. You know what I'm talking about. Who's idea was that? Who was this leaf-raking aficionado who sought a way to turn the unsightly fruits of his or her labor into a Halloween decoration? Pure genius. Well, probably the least environmentally friendly practice ever, but totally a nice thought otherwise.

If you follow my blog, at this point you already know I am obsessed with this bbq sauce. AND if you follow my blog I love you so much and you are AWESOME! If you don't follow my blog, well that sucks, you should. (Juuuuust kidding!)

This dish is basically the byproduct of my attempt to make everything in my life a little more Autumn. I border on obsessed, but hey, it makes me happy. Topping the chicken with apples really works with the balsamic tang and baking the dish creates an interesting and flavorful sauce in which to cook some carrots. It smells amazing in the oven and looks just as good. Oh yea, the taste ain't half bad either! Actually, it's pretty f'ing amazing as well.

Soundtrack: Washed Out (Myspace link)

Balsamic BBQ Chicken Baked with Apples and Carrots
Serves 4-5
Inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis, Chicken with Balsamic BBQ Sauce


1 1/2 c balsamic vinegar

• 1 1/4 c ketchup
• 1/2 c plus 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• salt & pepper
• 3 chicken breasts, bone-in
• 2 chicken thighs, bone-in
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into disks (I believe the term is "Rondelle")
• ~1/4 chicken broth
• 1 large apple (or 2 small, enough to cover the tops of the chicken in baking dish, should be a variety that is best to cook with)

First, prepare the bbq sauce by whisking together balsamic vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of pepper in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes. You will see a huge reduction in the amount of liquid and sauce will begin to thicken. After sauce cooks down, reserve about 1/4 of the sauce and set aside to serve with chicken later.

While sauce cooks down, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In an 13x9 baking dish, place chicken breasts and thighs skin up. Season with salt & pepper. Add carrots, interspersing between pieces of chicken. Pour enough chicken broth into the dish so that all of the bottom surface is covered. Place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes.

Remove chicken from the oven and cover chicken with about 3/4's of the bbq sauce still in the saucepan (I realize this is confusing, so to be clear, we are not including the 1/4 we already set aside, ignore that). Stir carrots down into the sauce. Core and slice the apple into rings, then top the chicken with the apple rings. Using a basting brush, cover the apple rings in the remain bbq sauce in the sauce pan (still ignoring the portion set aside for serving). Place the dish back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your breasts (har har har). Check for done-ness and serve with reserved bbq sauce on the side.

Oooh action shot!

Wheesk, wheesk!

Similar to peach rings, yum!

Smoked Mozzarella, Fruit and Almond Couscous

Ok, with tomorrow being the first day of summer my post of this recipe is probably totally inappropriate. It's totally off-season. "Apples?" you're asking, "You want us to eat apples? With dried fruit? Should I don a sweater and sip on some hot cider as well?" I mean, if ya want. It's a free country, but let's not really push it here. This recipe is really just about all the fall I can take right now.. anyone can take right now. If it makes you feel better, I made some sauteed zucchini to go right along with this. And drank iced tea. And looked at pictures of Jeremy's fabuloso vegetable garden that is about 8 months pregnant. Sha lalalalalalalala la la-ti-da! Every day can't be a cookout people. So let's be happy we live in a time and place where we can import all the off-season foods we want. Buy fresh and local. Most of the time. 

Fall? NO!

This couscous dish is more of a salad. It's supposed to be served cold; mine was served warm. But I think that played into the flavors of the cheese very nicely. So if you are eating right away, I suggest keeping the couscous warm. I suppose if you are preparing ahead of time, this would be delicious served cold as well. Served warm, this dish has great complexity. The sweetness of the fruit, the smokey and salty flavors from the cheese, and the fresh taste of parsley combine with a nutty flavor in a very balanced way. The original recipe, from this book was for a farro salad, but I subbed the couscous to be frugal. It was a great success. One more note: I live with 2 boys. They like to eat meat. I didn't make any with this; they didn't complain. Another great success.


Soundtrack: ON REPEAT. Not really. Ok, I mean, it has 217 plays as of right now. I am at least 50 of them. Did I just admit that? Oof.


Smoked Mozzarella, Fruit and Almond Couscous


10 garlic cloves (I suggest skipping to step one with these puppies before prepping the rest)
1 tbs honey
white wine
1/4 c. fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

6 oz smoked mozzarella, chopped

1/2 c. almonds, chopped
2 red delicious apples
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 c. couscous (to prepare according to package directions)
1/2 c. craisins
2 tbs EVOO
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 350. Peel the garlic cloves. Lay on a square sheet of aluminum foil (large enough to create a sealed pocket in which to roast the garlic) and drizzle with honey and a splash of white white. The garlic will roast in the oven for around 40 minutes. (This will smell amazing!)


Meanwhile, prep the rest of the ingredients. Chop your cheese, parsley, and almonds. Chop the apples and toss in a small bowl with lemon juice, then fill the bowl with enough water to soak the apple pieces.


Then, heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped almonds and cooked until toasted, stirring often. This will take between 5-10 minutes, depending on the coarseness of your chop. While the almonds are toasting, prepare the cup of couscous, according to package directions. 


Once both are finished, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar and EVOO with a whisk. Add the couscous (make sure to get to the "fluffed" stage first!!), almonds, apples (drain first), parsley, craisins and mozzarella and stir until combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve (or refrigerate to serve as a cold salad later). 

Honey bear = still one of my favorite things ever.

Great breath all around!

Just had to take the opportunity to show off my chopper here...

Toast!

Bun's like parsley too!

Delicious cheese

Everything prepped.. and then pretend you're on TV!

Mmmm.