Description
Chicken with apple cider, bacon, and apples brings hearty French comfort to the table with every bite.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and legs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- 4 shallots, diced or 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 4 to 5 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces bacon lardons or 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 tablespoons brandy or whiskey
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups hard apple cider
- 2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and brown evenly on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. Add bacon to the pan and fry until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, reserving fat in the pan.
4. Add diced shallots (or onion), celery, and thyme sprigs to the pan. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
5. Pour in brandy or whiskey to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken stock and hard apple cider, blending until smooth.
6. Return browned chicken and crisp bacon to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
7. Cover pan with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
8. Remove lid and continue to bake uncovered for an additional 30 minutes.
9. While casserole bakes, fry apple wedges in reserved bacon fat until lightly golden.
10. Stir sautéed apple wedges and heavy cream (if using) into the casserole. Return to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 20 more minutes.
11. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread to enjoy the sauce.
Notes
Bone-in, skin-on chicken delivers maximum flavor and tenderness.
Browning the chicken before braising develops depth and a rich texture.
Replace the alcohol with equal parts non-alcoholic apple cider or apple juice and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar for an alcohol-free adaptation.
Pair with mashed potatoes, rice, or artisan bread to fully savor the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 145mg