Apple Cider Chicken

One Saturday morning while I was eating breakfast and wondering what I would make for dinner I turned on the television and, lo and behold, I found my answer. This is my version of a Cook’s Country recipe adapted for two people, and you can double it for another couple. Out shopping I went to get all the ingredients and I share this with you because it was such a great success time and time again. One of the ingredients I could not find locally – the Apple Brandy – but I did find Apple Liqueur at Walgreens. It comes in a small bottle, exactly the 1/4 cup needed for the recipe. The apple varieties chosen hold together and do not turn mushy or into applesauce.

Apple Cider Chicken

Ingredients

2 chicken drumsticks, skin on

2 chicken thighs, skin on and each cut in half

Salt and Pepper

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 large Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (or use Cortland or Jonagold)

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1 cup apple cider

1/4 cup apple brandy (or apple liqueur)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Method

- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat to 450 degrees.

- Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper.

- Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken pieces, skin-side down, until well browned, about 10-15 minutes. Flip pieces and brown on the second side, about 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

- Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet. Cook onion in chicken fat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and flour and cook, stirring continually until fragrant and flour is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add apple, cider, and brandy or liqueur, stir and bring to a boil.

- Nestle the chicken, skin side up, on top of sauce and roast uncovered until done, about 10-15 minutes. - Transfer chicken to a warm platter. Stir vinegar into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at the table.

- A good accompaniment could be roasted or baked potatoes and asparagus.

Note: For the first time, I did not have an oven-proof skillet, so I used a regular skillet and after cooking the sauce put it into ovenproof cookware. I now have an oven-proof cast iron skillet.