Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Sweet Italian Chicken

Sweet Italian Chicken 3

There is something about seeing those two words together that make me smile.

Sweet. Italian. It's gotta be good.

Since September and October are busy months for us, I'm always on the look out for quick and easy dinner recipes. I came across this one on the Big Red Kitchen Blog.

I'm all about trying something new when it comes to chicken recipes. I'm also all about the dark meat, so I loved that this recipe specifically called for thighs.

What I also love? Only 2 ingredients. That's it, TWO. Hmmm. I was a wee bit skeptical.

After one bite, I was pleasantly surprised. The chicken was tangy, not overly sweet and had really great flavor from the dressing mix. My boys devoured it, even ate some cold for lunch the next day.

I doubled this recipe when I made it. I not only used organic skinless chicken thighs, but a package of legs as well.

Sweet Italian Chicken

1 package of Good Season’s Italian Dressing Mix
½ cup packed brown sugar
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

I always rinse my chicken off and I usually pat it dry, but because I wanted the mixture to stick on the chicken I didn’t dry it this time.

In a medium size bowl mix both of the ingredients. Coat each piece of chicken evenly. Place on a large baking sheet lined with tin foil that is lightly sprayed. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

My little chicken cooking note. I always raise my chicken up (oh dear Josh Groban just came pounding through my brain....get outta my head!) on cooling racks when I bake it. Just place the cooling rack on top of the lined baking sheet. Your chicken gets cooked more evenly all around and you avoid that soggy bottom that can result from laying directly on the cookie sheet.


Sweet Italian Chicken

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Looks so simple and tasty - which is fantastic

Shelley said...

Thanks for the tip about cooking the chicken on a cooling rack. I haven't ever tried that, but you can bet I will now.

Amy said...

Aaaaand...printing. How did I ever survive without you?

Abby said...

I also put my chicken up on a cooling rack while it cooks! Good tip I've never thought to share. Found you through Lick the Bowl Good. Love your blog! I'll be back!

Mrs Happy Homemaker said...

Oh yum! Gotta try this one!! Thanks for sharing you recipe!!

cedarglen said...

This is Home Run Chicken and dirt simple. I do about the same thing and it is the Go To meal when enexpected friends need to eat (Or I need backup for lunches etc.) I use half the brown sugar and a slash of lemon if I have it. Like you, I always use some kind of rack. I am also a big fan of dark meat; I make this with thighs and legs, all bone-in and skin-on. No other way to describe it than damn good and dirt simple to make.
On those rare ocassions when I;m ahead of some schedule, I let the chicken parts soak (marinate) in the stuff until I'm ready to roast. The longest was nearly two days (44 hours) as it was the best batch to date. If I add anything to the sauce, it might be a little pepper or flavored Tobasco, but never any more salt.
Thanks for posing this.

Dana @ Cooking At Cafe D said...

Seriously? Only 2 ingredients? Okay, this is on for tonight!

We'll see how it works with boneless - since that's what's thawed.

Thanks for linking up to my Flipping the Bird - Chicken party :)

creativebone said...

I made this tonight for company and it was DELICIOUS! I doubled the seasoning and brown sugar and used 12 boneless skinless thighs and it took every bit of the rub. It made a syrupy sauce in the pan after cooking which I poured over the chicken after I transferred it to a 2 qt. covered dish. I will be making this again and again, and again......

T.J. said...

Delicious! I put pork chops in the crock pot with brown sugar and Italian dressing (and sometimes a little BBQ sauce) but I had never thought of doing it with chicken!

Unknown said...

Is this good if you freeze it for another day?

Unknown said...

Is this stil good if you freeze it for later?

The Cutting Edge of Ordinary said...

Heather I have not frozen this yet, so I really can't answer, but I can't see why your couldn't! Let me know if you do and report back!

A City Girl said...

I thought something so easy can not taste good so I went searching for it on the net to make sure the person had the recipie right LOL. That is how I found your blog. Witht he photo you posted it does sound really good and looks good so thanks...I am going to try it tonight. I am also going to use your rack idea. Not only will it allow the chicken to cook evenly but let the grease drip off as well.