Apple Cider Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Apples

• October 02, 2013  |
• by Kirstin Uhrenholdt

Tangy apples, sweet golden onions and cider—it’s as if fall fell into your pan.

You need:

1 cup apple cider
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
1 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (preferably free range and organic) each half cut into 3 pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions cut into wedges
3 slices of bacon chopped (optional, or you can also use turkey bacon)
2 tart apples, peel left on, cut into wedges
2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

To make 4-6 servings:

In a large bowl combine the apple cider, salt, rosemary and chicken, and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large oven-proof nonstick pan, drizzle the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion wedges, and bacon. Saute over medium heat until the onions are wilted and golden, this will take 10-15 minutes. Now add the apples and saute until they start to soften around the edges and get a bit of color as well, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile drain the chicken, reserving the apple cider for later. Toss the chicken pieces in the flour. Remove the apples and onions from the pan. If you need to, add a drizzle of olive oil to the same pan and brown the chicken, you might have to do this in 2 batches.

When all the chicken is golden, add the apple cider vinegar, chicken broth and the reserved apple cider, stir well, bring back to a simmer, then pile the apples and onions on top, (this is just vanity, the dish looks better this way) then stick the pan into the oven for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Kids can: Pull the leaves off the rosemary twig. Taste the apple cider and determine what vintage it is.

Cook’s tip: The next day, cut the chicken into smaller pieces; if you need to moisten it, use a little chicken stock. Reheat and serve over egg noodles. If you want to be luxurious, stir in a little crème fraîche at the end.