Roasted Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar Vinaigrette

If you love Balsamic Vinegar, you'll love this chicken that is marinated for several hours in it, producing flavorful and juicy meat. With the addition of Dijon mustard and garlic, these chicken breasts are easy enough to serve for a week night meal, but tasty enough to serve to company! However, the chicken needs to be marinated for several hours or it will be bland. The first time I made this dish I only marinated it about 3 hours. The recipe says 2-12 hours, but it's best just to go for the whole 12 hours if possible, especially when using mixed, bone-in chicken pieces. Just mix up the marinade in the morning and throw the chicken and marinade in a large zip lock bag. Place bag in a pan in the refrigerator, and later in the day, this chicken will be ready to plop into the oven or onto the grill. I marinated these boneless chicken breasts for about 5 hours and they were very moist and delicious. But the bone in chicken pieces were marinated about 12 hours. I hope you'll give them a try.

ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS with BALSAMIC VINEGAR VINAIGRETTE
adapted slightly from Giada De Laurentiis

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 1 whole chicken cut-up
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 large cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth

Mix balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon, lemon juice and olive oil into a large resealable baggie. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place chicken in bag. Place in a pan so that chicken can lay flat and place in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees, place chicken pieces on a baking sheet and bake about 20-25 minutes, or until juices in chicken run clear when pierced ed with a knife. If you like, you can make a quick sauce using the marinade to drizzle over the chicken. Pour the marinade in a sauce pan, add the chicken broth and simmer about 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken. I made this when I baked a whole, cut-up chicken and served it with rice, drizzled with the balsamic. It's very good! But this time, I served the chicken breasts with oven roasted potatoes, so I did not made the extra sauce. Either way, I'' be making this chicken again. I just love easy, delicious meals!
NOTE: If using bone-in chicken pieces, the cooking time will be about 45-60 minutes.