Description
This comforting braised chicken dish is cooked in hard cider and chicken stock, with sweet caramelized onions and fresh herbs. It’s a cozy, one-pot meal perfect for autumn.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lbs)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup hard cider (or apple cider)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and cook without moving until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Flip and brown the other side for 3-4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and sliced onions to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deeply caramelized, about 20-25 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
- Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Pour in the cider and chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.
- Return the chicken to the pot, nestling it into the liquid. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove lid, stir in Dijon mustard, and let the sauce thicken slightly for 2-3 minutes. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf.
- Serve chicken with caramelized onions and sauce, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
For a non-alcoholic version, use apple cider instead of hard cider. This dish pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Nutrition
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fat: 31 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Protein: 34 g