Simple Roasted Grape Chicken Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Fall

by: gingerroot

October5,2012

5 Ratings

Simple Roasted Grape Chicken Recipe on Food52 (1)

Serves 2

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Author Notes

Having just picked up some whole chicken legs I decided to roast them with grapes for an easy and flavorful weeknight meal. Served on a bed of CSA frisée (loved how the savory sauce dressed the greens) with steamed quinoa on the side, it was a delicious step up from our typical weeknight fare. —gingerroot

Test Kitchen Notes

I never would have thought to combine roasted chicken and grapes in a dish, but the recipe that gingerroot has created is unbelievably delicious comfort food fare. The technique is indeed simple, as the title says, but the resulting flavors are anything but. Roasting at high heat brings out the essence of the tender, moist chicken and the sweet grapes. A quick pan sauce, made with some of the roasted grapes, vermouth and chicken stock, adds a lovely depth of flavor. This dish comes together quickly making it an excellent weeknight choice, but it’s fancy enough to impress company. I served this dish with polenta to both children and adults, and everyone devoured it and asked for more. —cookinginvictoria

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the grapes and chicken
¹/₂ poundorganic red seedless grapes
2 chicken legs
1 teaspoonminced garlic
1 sprigfresh rosemary (about 4”), cut in half
1 ¹/₂ tablespoonsolive oil
1 tablespoonred wine vinegar
¹/₂ teaspoonkosher salt
black pepper
washed and dried frisée, for serving (optional)

For the pan sauce
1 tablespoonminced shallot or onion
¹/₄ cupvermouth
¹/₄ cupchicken stock
1 tablespoonunsalted butter, cut into small cubes (room temperature)
2 tablespoonsminced Italian parsley
Salt
SplashLemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Wash and dry grapes. Remove stems and place in a 12” ovenproof skillet. Toss grapes with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Cut chicken legs into drumsticks and thighs and pat dry. Place in a bowl, adding garlic, rosemary, 1 tablespoon olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Combine using your hands, making sure to rub aromatics into chicken and evenly distribute seasonings. Nestle chicken pieces skin side up in the skillet, among the grapes. Roast chicken and grapes for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and golden. During the last two minutes of cooking time, turn your oven to broil to crisp up the skin.
Using tongs, transfer chicken and 2/3 of grapes to a plate. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of cooking fat (if necessary), being careful not to remove any of the flavorful dark, non-fatty juices. Turn heat to medium high and add shallot or onion and vermouth. Cook, stirring and scraping until wine has reduced, the shallot (or onion) is soft, and the bottom of the pan is clean. Add chicken stock, turning down heat if necessary, and reduce until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, and incorporate butter one small cube at a time, stirring between each addition. Taste for salt and acid and adjust if necessary. Stir in minced parsley.
Arrange chicken pieces and some roasted grapes on individual plates on a bed of frisée (if using). Spoon warm sauce over chicken, serve, and enjoy.

Tags:

American
Grape
Parsley
Red Wine
Shallot
Vermouth
Vinegar
Chicken
Fruit
Fall
Winter
Gluten-Free

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Azize Tunc
Jill Chwojko-Frank
deanna1001
Tbird
Fábio Polezi

Recipe by: gingerroot

My most vivid childhood memories have to do with family and food. As a kid, I had the good fortune of having a mom who always encouraged trying new things, and two grandmothers who invited me into their kitchens at a young age. I enjoy cooking for the joy it brings me - sharing food with loved ones - and as a stress release. I turn to it equally during good times and bad. Now that I have two young children, I try to be conscientious about what we cook and eat. Right about the time I joined food52, I planted my first raised bed garden and joined a CSA; between the two I try to cook as sustainably and organically as I can. Although I'm usually cooking alone, my children are my favorite kitchen companions and I love cooking with them. I hope when they are grown they will look back fondly at our time spent in the kitchen, as they teach their loved ones about food-love. Best of all, after years on the mainland for college and graduate school, I get to eat and cook and raise my children in my hometown of Honolulu, HI. When I'm not cooking, I am helping others grow their own organic food or teaching schoolchildren about art.

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67 Reviews

Jeri January 15, 2021

Wonderful recipe. Used 4 bone in chicken thighs. White wine instead of vermouth.

Jeri January 15, 2021

Wonderful recipe. Used 2 bone in chicken thighs. White wine instead of vermouth.

Thanks for letting me know! So glad you enjoyed this. Love your photos!

geugca August 7, 2016

Hello,

Would this meal be easy to re-heat to serve the next day for a dinner party? I have aome family coming over and will
Literally have 1 hour to set up tables and appetizers. Busy work week too 😕

Two T. March 24, 2016

Amazing-town. I tucked away the remainder of grapes I bought, so we wouldn't eat them, and used them for this. Tossed in thyme with the rosemary. So good. I roasted @ 425 for a few mins longer as my oven can get problematic at high heat. The sauce was great, the chicken just perfect. I used 4 medium thighs and served with roast sweet potatos/carrots. https://www.instagram.com/p/BDW4pdwHOg3/?taken-by=salvegging

gingerroot March 25, 2016

So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for letting me know.

Tbird December 8, 2015

Made this again for dinner last night - yes, a Monday. It's Hanukkah, and thought this would go really well with crisp latkes. I was right! This is my wife's favorite recipe I make, so it was terrific for a holiday celebration. Yum, Yumm... YUMM !!!!

Virginia M. April 9, 2015

The roasted grape "sauce" really makes this special. I remember a dish my stepmom always made with chicken and grapes from my childhood that I hated and now I'm wondering if I was insane, because this was sooo good. My only substitution was dry sherry instead of vermouth because it's what I hadnon hand and it worked out well.

gingerroot April 10, 2015

Hi Virginia, thanks for letting me know! I'm so glad you enjoyed this.

Mike S. October 22, 2014

This is one of the most elegant and wonderful recipes I've made in a long time. Thank you!

gingerroot October 28, 2014

You're welcome, Michael! Thanks so much for letting me know.

Nyborg October 15, 2014

Just realized that I didn't use the butter. Really didn't need it! Thx for the recipe.

Nyborg October 15, 2014

Made this tonight with all the ingredients. Extremely tasty. Not the fastest weeknight dish, but delicious. Great for a dinner party.

gingerroot October 16, 2014

Hi Nyborg, so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know.

Whitney G. October 2, 2014

this turned out awesome, and my kids loved the sweet grapes. I failed on the rosemary, though, and I think that would have added a lot. Still, it was great. I will definitely make it again. Great weeknight supper but has crossover value to serve to guests.

gingerroot October 16, 2014

Thanks so much for letting me know, Whitney! So glad it was enjoyed by adults and kids.

teeokeefe May 12, 2014

Beyond delicious. didn't even make/complete the pan sauce (husband was famished) and it was good as is. Next time, I'll make it though and I'm looking forward to it! Thank YOU!

gingerroot May 13, 2014

You're welcome, teeokeefe! I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Thanks for letting me know!

deanna1001 November 11, 2013

This was heavenly! The smell alone is worth it. Served over left-over mashed sweet potatoes with tomato Provençal and salad. Brava!

deanna1001 November 11, 2013

Oh...minor subs...thyme instead of rosemary, no stock so used water and cut the butter in half. Timing perfect. Great weeknight recipe. Thanks!

gingerroot February 13, 2014

Thank you deanna1001! Not sure how I missed your comment - I'm thrilled you enjoyed this.

deanna1001 February 13, 2014

Made it again but with rosemary this time. So lovely. So perfect for serving 2. Will likely have it for dinner tomorrow. Really love this recipe...

Geni August 29, 2013

This was delish! I used vodka (about 1/3 C) and thought there wouldn't be enough sauce, but I served it with brown rice and the amount was perfect. I liked marydtombs's idea of tossing carrots in some of the sauce as well. I used thighs, but will try using bone-in, skin-on breasts next time and possibly reduce the butter at the end in a meager attempt to reduce the fat so that my 70 yo arteries will be happier. Thanks to all who enter recipes and to those who review them......I love reading every word!!

gingerroot August 29, 2013

Hi Geni, thanks for letting me know. I'm happy you enjoyed this!