Best Chicken Agrodolce Recipes

CHICKEN AGRODOLCE (AN ITALIAN SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN)

Steps:

• In a large plastic bag, combine flour and chicken breasts, toss to coat.
• In a large skillet, saute floured chicken breasts in olive oil with the whole garlic, bay leaves and allspice berries until chicken is browned.
• Remove chicken to a plate.
• To the skillet, add honey, vinegar and wine; cook to reduce slightly, about 10 minutes on medium-high heat.
• Return chicken to skillet, add orange and lemon juices, salt and pepper, and cook about another 20 minutes or until chicken is done and sauce is reduced slightly.
• Remove garlic, bay leaves and allspice berries from sauce.
• Add pignoli and heat through, another 5 minutes or so.
• Delicious with angel hair pasta or a nice risotto.

CHICKEN AGRODOLCE

Steps:

• Coat chicken with flour.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook chicken with garlic, ginger, and bay leaves until chicken is browned, about 5 minutes per side.
• Mix wine, vinegar, and honey together in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until sauce is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and continue cooking until sauce is reduced by 2/3, about 10 minutes. Strain reduction sauce.
• Pour strained reduction sauce over chicken; add pine nuts and simmer over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

POLLO AGRODOLCE (VENETIAN SWEET-AND-SOUR CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Mix cloves, zest, 1/2 cup vinegar, mint, 1/4 cup oil, salt, pepper in a bowl.
• Add chicken to bowl and marinate in refrigerator 3 hours or overnight.
• Drain chicken and discard marinade Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining oil and butter.
• When butter melts, add onion, peppers, and mushrooms.
• Saute until vegetables start to brown (about 4 min).
• Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a bowl; keep warm.
• Add chicken to skillet, with what was the skin side down; sear lightly.
• Turn chicken, add raisins and pine nuts, and cook 1-2 minutes, until pine nuts begin to brown.
• Add remaining 6 Tbsp of vinegar and vermouth; bring to a simmer.
• Season lightly with salt, then reduce heat to medium.
• Cook until chicken is just done and sauce is reduced to the consistency of a light syrup.
• If sauce is thick when chicken is done, add small ladlefuls of chicken stock.
• If the sauce is too thin when the chicken is done, remove chicken and continue to reduce sauce.
• When the sauce is the correct consistency, stir in vegetables and add salt if needed.
• Turn chicken pieces over to coat with sauce, then arrange on plate and spoon vegetables and sauce over chicken.

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN: POLLO IN AGRODOLCE

Steps:

• Remove all the skin and trim the fat from the chicken.
• Cut the chicken into 8 small pieces, using both the breast and the thighs, season with salt and pepper.
• In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat.
• When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes on each side.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set them aside.
• Add the onions and celery and let cook, stirring constantly, until soft and slightly golden, about 5 minutes.
• Return the chicken pieces to the pot.
• Add the currants, sugar, vinegar, olives, capers and half the olives.
• Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Turn the heat to high and cook, turning the chicken constantly, until the vinegar evaporates, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan and allow the chicken to cook through, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Serve family style, garnished with the remaining almonds, fennel fronds, juice from orange wedges and pepperoncini.

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN: POLLO IN AGRODOLCE

Steps:

• Remove all the skin and trim the fat from the chicken. Cut the chicken into 8 small pieces, using both the breast and the thighs, season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set them aside. Add the onions and celery and let cook, stirring constantly, until soft and slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Add the currants, sugar, vinegar, olives, capers and half the olives. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to high and cook, turning the chicken constantly, until the vinegar evaporates, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan and allow the chicken to cook through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve family style, garnished with the remaining almonds, fennel fronds, juice from orange wedges and pepperoncini.

SICILIAN BRAISED CHICKEN (POLLO AGRODOLCE)

Steps:

• Pat the chicken pieces dry and season them GENEROUSLY with salt and pepper, and dredge them lightly in flour, tapping off any excess.
• Heat a large saute pan fitted with a lid over medium-high heat and add a good splash of oil.
• When the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces (in batches, if necessary), browning THEM VERY WELL on both sides.
• When browned, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Pour off all the fat from the pan.
• Turn the heat to medium low and toss a little more olive oil in - around 2-3 tablespoons.
• Add the onion, celery and carrot and sprinkle with a little salt.
• Saute until they're soft and fragrant, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• Add the sugar and vinegar to the pan and let it bubble for about one minute.
• Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them over in the vegetables once of twice to coat them
• Increase the heat to medium and add the wine, letting it boil until almost evaporated.
• Add the chicken stock and bay leaf, cover the pan, and simmer on low heat until the chicken is just about tender, 30 to 35 minutes turning the pieces once or twice during cooking.
• Add the raisins, capers and pine nuts if you are using them and simmer to blend the flavors about five minutes longer. The sauce should be reduced and thickened but still pourable. If If it looks too dry, add a splash of chicken stock or white wine. Taste for seasoning. It should have a nice balance between sweet and sour but not be too aggressive.
• Add more salt, pepper, a splash of vinegar, or a pinch of sugar to balance the flavours.
• Arrange the chicken on a large serving platter and garnish with fresh herbs and a drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil.