Susan recently returned home from her hairdresser appointment looking beautiful and with a recipe torn out of a magazine. That’s Susan on the right holding our dog, Freddy, a mini labradoodle.

You can’t get arrested for looking beautiful and/or ripping a recipe out of a magazine–can you? I think she’s safe, plus I am giving credit here to the magazine–Real Simple magazine. (Is that a knock on the door? The police?)

I made a few changes which I note below. I think chicken breasts would work just as well.

Quoting the recipe:

“It’s one of those special recipes you can perfect on weeknights, and then when you’re expecting guests, wow them with it. Start by browning chicken thighs, grapes, and shallots on the stovetop.

“After the chicken turns golden and the grapes blister, a glug of wine and a sprinkling of capers and thyme are added. These are the humble heroes that deliver major flavor to the pan sauce. The skillet then goes into the oven, and the result is juicy chicken in a combination of sweet and savory flavors. A pot of instant polenta is a creamy, comforting accompaniment.”

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant polenta (Since I made this for the two of us I cooked 4 tablespoons of polenta in 1/2 cup of water plus 1/2 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of butter. And I cooked it at the last minute before serving the chicken.)
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 8 4-to-6-oz bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (I used 4 boneless and skinless as I find them easier to eat.)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup seedless red grapes
• 4 medium shallots, trimmed and quartered
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp drained capers
• 3 to 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Cook polenta according to package directions, using 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and set aside. (See not above.)
2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper over both sides of chicken thighs. Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add 4 chicken thighs, skin side down; cook until golden brown and easily lifted from skillet, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining 4 chicken thighs.
3. Add grapes and shallots to skillet; cook, stirring often, until shallots are beginning to fall apart and grapes are blistered, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine, capers, thyme sprigs, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Gently stir to release browned bits from bottom of skillet.
4. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken reads 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Serve chicken over polenta with pan sauce, grapes, and shallots. Top with thyme leaves.

For dessert I made a Blueberry Blackberry Pie. YUM!