Lemon, Rosemary and Balsamic Grilled Chicken Thighs

When it comes to chicken, there’s a difference of opinion in our house.  Shane would probably be perfectly happy if I never bought bone-in chicken again.  I get it – boneless chicken is much easier to eat, none of those pesky bones to work around.  Unfortunately for him, I do 99.9% of the shopping and I generally purchase bone-in chicken.  For one, it’s almost always cheaper than boneless and I am frugal.  Just as importantly, though, I think bone-in chicken pieces are so much juicier and the cooking process is easier – if I overcook bone-in chicken by a minute or two, I don’t end up with a dry piece of meat.  

Thighs are one of my favorite cuts of chicken and we have a few recipes we turn to over and over again.  With summer approaching, I’d like to start grilling them more though so I’ve been searching for some different ideas.  This was one of the first recipes we tried.  It doesn’t get much easier than whisking a few ingredients together, popping them in a bag with the chicken and letting it marinate for a few hours.  The resulting chicken was juicy and very flavorful!  I don’t often cook with balsamic vinegar but it’s one of my favorite ingredients so I’m glad to have this recipe in my arsenal.  Maybe if I keep finding tasty recipes I’ll even be able to bring Shane around to a bone-in chicken lover  eventually…

Lemon, Rosemary and Balsamic Grilled Chicken Thighs
from Emeril Lagasse (as seen here)

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 chicken thigh, skin-on and bone-in
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and red pepper flakes.  Transfer the marinade to a large resealable plastic bag; add the chicken thighs to the bag and seal it.  Turn to ensure that the chicken is evenly coated, then refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 2 to 4 hours.

Preheat a grill to medium and brush the grates lightly with an oil soaked cloth. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry.  Season well on all sides with salt and pepper, then place on the grill, skin side down. Cook the chicken about 8 to 10 minutes, turn over and continue to cook an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165-170 F and the juices run clear.  Remove the chicken from the grill, tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.