Best Cider Braised Chicken Thighs With Apples And Greens Recipes

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH APPLES AND KALE

Steps:

• Arrange rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Season chicken all over with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper, then rub with 1/4 cup mustard, making sure to get mustard under skin.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heatproof high-sided skillet or heavy braising pan over medium-high. Sear chicken, skin side down, until golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Turn chicken, then arrange apples and onion around chicken. Add wine and 1 cup cider, then transfer to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 cup cider, 1 Tbsp. oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large pot over medium; add kale, cover, and cook until wilted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, divide kale among plates.
• Transfer chicken, apples, and onion to plates with a slotted spoon. Heat remaining liquid in skillet over high. Add cream and remaining 1 tsp. mustard and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking constantly, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
• Spoon sauce alongside chicken and kale. Garnish with tarragon, if desired.

BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH APPLES AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a deep oven-proof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs to the hot oil and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.
• Add sliced onions to the skillet and saute until they just start to brown, about 3 minutes. Pour in apple cider and chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Stir in thyme and salt. Simmer until the onions are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Add chicken back to the skillet and spoon some sauce over the top. Arrange sliced apples around the chicken. Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove skillet from the oven and carefully uncover. Transfer chicken from the skillet to a plate and keep warm. Whisk heavy cream and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Stir gently into the sauce in the skillet. Place chicken back into the skillet and spoon some of the sauce over the chicken.
• Return skillet to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, and an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 15 minutes more. Serve chicken and apples with the sauce.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS AND APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degree F. Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, deep ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet skin-side down and cook, flipping once, until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the thyme and leeks to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook until the skillet is nearly dry. Stir in the broth, apple cider and a pinch each of salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Use a fork to mash the butter and flour together in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk the butter-flour mixture into the skillet until dissolved. Stir in the apples and remove from the heat. Nestle the chicken skin-side up in the skillet along with any collected juices from the plate. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.