This is the perfect meal in our home.
We have chicken to please Mr. How Sweet.
And wine to enchant my taste buds.
Marriage is all about balance and compromise.
About a year ago, Mr. How Sweet became a little obsessed with sangria.
I had been telling him for years how delicious it was, but he never took an interest—until a business trip when a group of grown men decided to order fruity drinks. After that he went on a short sangria binge, even making his own at home for a few months.
His fads tend to pass quickly—diet Mountain Dew, plain egg whites, cherry chapstick—so the sangria phase faded the same way. Still, I love sangria and would happily drink it with just about anything. To bring him back, I made this sangria chicken.
Could it get any better for Mr. How Sweet? He gets reunited with his beloved sangria and gets his daily dose of protein. For us, booze + protein = happy husband, and a happy husband helps keep me sane. As the saying goes, happy wife = happy life. I like to think my math is sound.
Sangria Chicken
Adapted from Gourmet
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 3/4 cup sweet orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Brown the chicken on both sides, then transfer to a baking dish and roast until cooked through, about 15–20 minutes.
While the chicken cooks, simmer the red wine and orange marmalade in a small saucepan until the mixture thickens and reduces to about one cup. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the baking dish and roast for an additional 10–15 minutes.
Garnish with halved grapes and lime wedges. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
This dish was delicious—and I’m not saying that just because I finished off a bottle of cabernet before dinner. I love fruit with chicken; warm fruit works wonderfully in savory dishes, and since I have a sweet tooth, this combination feels natural to me.
I also enjoy unexpected pairings like bacon with chocolate, but that’s another story.