Cooking Tips & Hints
                  Week 51 Featured Recipe
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CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN
(click for printable version of this recipe)
This one skillet chicken recipe is easy and tasty. The apples were very complimentary to the chicken. The skillet stuffed Onions shown in the picture will be featured next week.
TOOLS:
Chicken Fryer (11" skillet)
Cutting Board
Knife
Apple corer
Meat Thermometer
INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs bone-in skin on chicken pieces (I
  used thighs)
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1 large Golden Delicious Apple, peeled,
  cored & cut into 3/4" pieces
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup Apple Brandy (Plain Brandy or
  Cognac may be used)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
(CLICK ANY PICTURE TO ENLARGE)

PREPARATION:
Brown Chicken. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 450 degrees F. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt & pepper. Heat oil in large, oven proof skillet (chicken fryer) over medium high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken, skin-side down, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Flip and brown on second side, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Build sauce: Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat from skillet. Cook onion in chicken fat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and flour and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and flour is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add apple, cider, and 3 tbsp brandy and bring to boil. Roast chicken. Nestle chicken, skin-side up, into sauce and roast until white meat registers 160 degrees (or dark meat 175 degrees), about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Stir vinegar and remaining brandy into sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.

HINTS: I could not find the Apple Brandy in my area so I used Green Apple Vodka in my recipe and I don’t feel it gave the needed sweetness that a brandy or cognac would have added. If you don’t have the skillet hot enough or if it is too hot, your chicken will stick, so pay close attention to that, especially with the skin side down. The taste will be there but you won’t have the “presentation”.
(CLICK ANY PICTURE TO ENLARGE)