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Mixed Berry Tea-Glazed Roast Chicken Thighs
Savory recipePrep time: 1 hr 5 minServings: 4

Mixed Berry Tea-Glazed Roast Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs glazed in a tangy mixed berry black tea reduction with balsamic and rosemary, roasted until sticky and caramelized.

Mixed Berry Black Tea makes a surprisingly excellent glaze base. Its tart berry notes and underlying tannin behave a lot like a fruit gastrique, and reducing the brewed tea concentrates both its color and flavor into something close to a berry-balsamic syrup.

The key is brewing the tea extra strong, then simmering it down with balsamic vinegar, a little honey, and fresh rosemary until it coats the back of a spoon. This transforms the tea's bright fruitiness into a deep, glossy glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the oven.

Brushing the glaze onto the chicken in the last 15 minutes of roasting (rather than from the start) prevents the sugars in the berries from burning, while still giving you that sticky, lacquered finish people associate with great roast chicken.

Serve with roasted root vegetables or a simple green salad to balance the richness. The leftover glaze also makes an excellent finishing drizzle for roasted vegetables or even a cheese board.

Ingredients

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 cups strong-brewed mixed berry black tea (4 tea bags steeped 6 minutes)
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Fresh thyme for garnish

How to make it

  1. 1Brew the mixed berry tea extra strong and let it cool slightly.
  2. 2In a saucepan, combine the brewed tea, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, and rosemary. Simmer over medium heat for 15–18 minutes until reduced by about two-thirds and syrupy. Remove rosemary, whisk in butter, and set aside.
  3. 3Pat chicken thighs dry, season generously with salt and pepper, and rub with olive oil.
  4. 4Roast skin-side up at 200°C (400°F) for 25 minutes.
  5. 5Brush generously with the berry tea glaze and continue roasting 15–20 minutes more, basting once, until the skin is sticky and caramelized and internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F).
  6. 6Rest 5 minutes, drizzle with any remaining glaze, and garnish with fresh thyme before serving.

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