Cast Iron Wild Blueberry Maple Glazed Chicken

There is something deeply comforting about bringing a whole skillet of chicken to the table, still warm from the oven, with caramelized onions, crisp edges and a dark, sticky wild blueberry glaze.

This one begins with our Wild Blueberry Maple Meat Marinade and finishes with a spoonful of Wild Blueberry Preserve. It feels special enough for an autumn table, but it is simple enough to make for supper on an ordinary Wednesday.

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 bone in chicken thighs, drumsticks or a mixture of both
• ½ cup Wild Blueberry Maple Meat Marinade, for marinating
• ⅓ cup Wild Blueberry Maple Meat Marinade, reserved for the glaze
• 2 tablespoons Wild Blueberry Preserve
• 1 large onion, cut into thick wedges
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• Black pepper, to taste
• A little olive oil for the skillet

Marinate the Chicken

Place marinade on counter for 15 minutes before use and give a good shake to mix flavours

Place the chicken pieces in a covered dish or resealable bag. Pour the ½ cup of marinade over the chicken and turn the pieces until they are well coated.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Begin Roasting

When you are ready to cook, heat the oven to 400°F.

Lightly oil a large cast iron skillet. Arrange the onion wedges across the bottom and nestle the chicken pieces among them, skin side up.

Discard the marinade that was in contact with the raw chicken.

Tuck the thyme around the chicken and finish with a little black pepper.

Roast uncovered for 25 minutes.

Make the Glaze

While the chicken is roasting, pour ⅓ cup of marinade into a small saucepan. Add the Wild Blueberry Preserve and stir over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

Keep the heat gentle. You are not looking for a hard boil. The glaze is ready when the preserve has melted into the marinade and the mixture looks smooth, glossy and thick enough to cling to a spoon.

Glaze the Chicken

After the chicken has roasted for 25 minutes, spoon about half of the glaze evenly over the pieces. Return the skillet to the oven for another 10 minutes.

Spoon the remaining glaze over the chicken and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes.

The chicken is ready when the glaze is dark and glossy, the edges are beginning to caramelize and the thickest part of each piece has reached 165°F or 74°C.

Let the chicken rest in the skillet for about 10 minutes before bringing it to the table.

Spoon the soft roasted onions and a little of the glaze from the bottom of the skillet over each serving.

Trust the Skillet

Every piece of chicken is a little different. Smaller drumsticks may be ready before larger thighs. If one piece is ready early, simply lift it from the skillet and let the others finish.

If the glaze begins to darken too quickly, loosely cover the skillet with foil. You want deeply caramelized edges, not burnt sugar.

Make It Local

We made ours with chicken from Amy at Snowy River Farms, raised here in Nova Scotia.

Good chicken does not need much fussing. A little wild blueberry, maple and time in a cast iron skillet are more than enough.

Find our Wild Blueberry Maple Meat Marinade and Wild Blueberry Preserve near you and bring a little Nova Scotia to your own table.