1-½ cups red onion, chopped in medium sized chunks
2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
2 oz. pancetta (or bacon) cut into ½ inch dice
1 – 4 lb. chicken cut into 8 serving pieces
2 small zucchini cut in half and then crosswise into ½ thick half rounds
1-1/2 cups of tinned artichokes
½ cup medium red wine (merlot or Syrah)
Directions: Turn oven on to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar, rosemary, brown sugar, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt before adding the olive oil, mixing well. Divide the mixture into two bowls – you are going to use ½ (about ¼ cup) for marinating the onions and garlic and the other ½ for the chicken later.
Scatter the chopped red onions and garlic over the bottom of a metal or glass baking dish (10 x 15 x 2inches). Add the pancetta and add about 1/3 cup of your vinegar mixture, coating everything. Place the chicken pieces, skin side up on top of all and brush with the remaining vinegar mixture. Roast for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile toss the zucchini and artichoke hearts with the reserved 2 T. of remaining vinegar mixture.
In a measuring cup combine the ½ cup wine with the remaining ¼ cup vinegar mixture. Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the wine and vinegar mixture around the chicken and then scatter the zucchini and artichoke hearts around the perimeter of the pan. Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast at 400 for 10 minutes before turning the oven down to 375 degrees for the remaining 25 minutes until the zucchini is tender and the chicken pieces are nicely browned and the thermometer registers 165, about another 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and with slotted spoon place the chicken, vegetables and pancetta on to a warmed platter. Cover with tin foil while you tilt the roasting pan and skim off oil on juices and then pour juice into a pitcher. If you want, you can add a bit of cornstarch or arrowroot to thicken your juice a bit before serving (have the sauce simmering in a small pot on stove and stir in slowly 1 T. cornstarch or arrowroot, dissolved in 3 T. cold water – stir well until the mixture has thickened slightly).