This Italian BBQ Chicken with Polenta is comforting and full of flavor! Bone in chicken is topped with an easy homemade bbq sauce and served over creamy polenta.
I often find myself writing blog posts in my head. Everywhere I am. Driving down the road, in the shower, and especially while I am cooking. While I was cooking this meal, I was completely planning on writing about how I didn’t really like this recipe, and how it’s one of the few Rachael Ray recipes that has let me down.
And then I tasted it. And I was pleasantly surprised. I actually really liked it!! Maybe it was the mood I was in when I first started cooking, but I totally wasn’t feeling it at first. But I’m always happy to be wrong when I think that it’s going to be bad!!
This is actually my first Rachael Ray recipe that I’m posting from one of her cookbooks. For being such a big Rachael Ray fan, and a cookbook collector, I’m kind of embarrassed that I didn’t even own one of her cookbooks up until a few weeks ago. I was actually at a local thrift/donation store, (which by the way – is a great place to pick up dishes and props for photos!) and I decided to check out the cookbook section. Usually I try to stay clear of them, because they are so tempting and I really don’t need another cookbook. But imagine my surprise when I saw several of Rachael Ray’s cookbooks there on the shelf! I limited myself to 3 of them. You can’t beat 3 cookbooks for $7! I’m so excited to add these to my (growing) list of RR recipes that I want to try!
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Italian BBQ Chicken with Polenta
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top, Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This Italian BBQ Chicken with Polenta is comforting and full of flavor! Bone in chicken is topped with an easy homemade bbq sauce and served over creamy polenta.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, legs, or chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups milk
- 1 1/3 cups quick cooking polenta
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- fresh basil, torn
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place a baking sheet in the oven while it is preheating.
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and the poultry seasoning.
- Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the chicken is cooked to 165ºF, about 15-20 minutes.
- While the chicken is in the oven, cook the bacon in the same pan that you used for the chicken. Cook until it is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, then add the vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and 2 cups of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then let it cook until slightly reduced and thickened. Stir in the bacon.
- In another saucepan, combine the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock and the milk. Bring to a boil, then whisk in the polenta. Whisk until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the chicken over the polenta and top with the bbq sauce. Garnish with fresh basil.
Recipe Notes:
adapted from Rachael Ray’s Big Orange Book
Kevin (Closet Cooking) says
chicken looks really tasty!
Sprinzette @ Ginger and Almonds says
Ooh, this does look rather lovely and unusual. I am rather inspired to try polenta!
Madeline says
I really need to pull out BOB again. I get lazy and just pull recipes from her magazine and talk show! Thanks for sharing.
Ellie (Almost Bourdain) says
Beautiful meal. Love your bog.
Julie says
That really does sound amazing! It’s great it turned out better than you expected 🙂
Simply Life says
wow, what a great meal – I really need to start using polenta more!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says
So glad I found your blog! I too write blog posts in my head as I am going through my day! I linked my Asian Burger recipe to your Rachael Ray series. I went back to edit my post to mention your blog as well. I am actually making another Rachael Ray dinner tonight – so I will link that when I post about it! Love her! Thanks!
Heather of Kitchen Concoctions says
Haha! I am totally the same way about blog posts. I ‘write’ them up in my head and they are so witty and clever and then when I sit down to type them up I can’t remember what I wanted to write.
Oh and I second the whole thrift store thing with buying plates, bowls, etc for food pictures. I was in there the other day and picked up a single plate. The cashier asked why I would want just 1 plate. I laughed because he really has no idea the mind of a food blogger!!!
briarrose says
Oh yum….the bbq sauce looks perfect across the top.
The Meal Planner says
What a great idea to look for cookbooks at the thrift store! What other RR cookbooks did you score? I own The Big Orange Book as well and haven’t done much cooking out of it yet. Glad this one turned out for you.
Deborah says
Kindra – I got Rachael Ray’s Book of 10 and 365: No Repeats. I have a couple of recipes planned from 365: No Repeats already!
Joanne says
I’m pretty sure at three cookbooks for seven dollars, you had no CHOICE but to purchase! I’m so glad the recipe turned out…I always love when I’m pleasantly surprised.
sweetsugarbean says
Looks delicious!!! I love finding great stuff at the thrift store. You scored big time with the cookbooks!!!
Katrina says
Cool recipe! I’m glad it ended up turning out 🙂