Baked Rosemary Chicken with Balsamic Glaze

There are so many ways to cook chicken but when bone-in chicken is baked in the oven with ingredients to make a flavorful sauce it makes an ideal meal for cooler evenings. Many recipes call for searing the chicken pieces first but in this recipe, the chicken is simply placed on the vegetables and cooked entirely in the oven so very little prep is needed.

Baked Rosemary Chicken with Balsamic Glaze

Cooking an Entire Meal in Convection at One Time

Because the chicken creates such a delicious sauce, it is best served over some grains or pasta. I served my chicken over polenta that I baked in the oven at the same time. I was really surprised when I learned that polenta could be baked in the oven, and I am so glad I tried it because it is so much easier than standing at the stove and stirring. Also, polenta has a nasty habit of spitting at you while you are stirring which is another reason to cook it in the oven. You will never get burned again using this method. Isn't that something?

Cooking Oven Polenta in the Oven

Polenta needs to be cooked in a covered pan when baked in Convection; however, it can also be prepared uncovered in the Steam oven in the Steam mode. Baking time in the Convection oven is approximately 40 minutes and approximately 30 minutes in the Steam oven.

Other side dish options that would work well are, oven-baked risotto or orzo pasta and because you are using a Convection mode you could also add a tray of vegetables to roast at the same time if needed.

Lemon Basil Risotto

Best Convection Mode to Use for Baking the Chicken

This meal can be baked in the Convection Bake or Convection Roast Mode. Generally, if an oven has both options the Convection Roast mode generates a more intense heat suitable for roasting. Either way, plan to cook the chicken in the middle to upper part of the oven so the chicken will brown nicely, and bake the polenta or any vegetables in the lower part of the oven closer to the bottom heating element.

Gas ovens don’t engage a top heating element in the Convection Bake mode, but they are powerful enough that even foods placed higher in the oven will brown well. Foods placed lower in the oven will definitely get more browning so the lower racks are best for roasting vegetables.

For Best Results Use Bone-In Chicken

Even though there is no liquid added to this recipe the cherry, both tomatoes and mushrooms give off juices during cooking; so by the end of the cooking there is actually a good amount of sauce in the pan. The honey and balsamic vinegar add flavor to the sauce, but for best results using bone-in chicken is essential. Also the texture of the chicken cooked on the bone is much juicier.

Upcoming Blog Posts

Since the holiday season is almost upon us it’s a good time to make sure your Convection ovens are in good working order and to work on your cooking plan. I will be devoting upcoming posts to help you get organized and ready so you can enjoy the benefits of your Convection oven.

Larissa, Your Convection Enthusiast