STOCK-AND-CIDER-BRINED CHICKEN OVER STUFFING

Stock-and-Cider-Brined Chicken Over Stuffing image

This one-pan dinner is ugly - rustic, if we're being kind - but good. Or as the Italians say, "brutta ma buona." Truly, though, it's everything you could ask for in a rich, comforting meal. As it cooks, the chicken, brined in stock and cider, drips its flavorful juices onto the bread. The bread absorbs every drop, turning into a chewy, savory nest cradling the tender, perfectly browned chicken. Each bit of stuffing offers a different surprise - sometimes the sweet-and-sour zing of a prune, other times the faint rumor of Thanksgiving whispered by celery and thyme. It's as satisfying as you could ever hope, even if it isn't particularly attractive.

Provided by Samin Nosrat

Categories dinner, lunch, poultry, main course

Time 9h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 celery ribs, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1-pound loaf crusty country bread
1 1/2 cups sodium-free chicken stock, preferably homemade or purchased from a butcher
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 cup quartered pitted prunes
2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
2 1/2 pounds (6 to 8 large) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tablespoons finely chopped sage
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
Optional: 1 1/2 cups cooked, chopped leafy greens like kale, chard or broccoli rabe

Steps:

Make the brine: Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or similar pan over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery and carrots, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are all tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a plate, and cool to room temperature in freezer.
While the vegetables cool, cut the bread into 3/4-inch cubes and spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Allow to dry out overnight.
Combine the stock and cider in a large measuring cup and pour 1 1/2 cups of the mixture into a plastic gallon-size zipper bag. Add vegetables, remaining salt, prunes, vinegar and chicken thighs. Seal bag, and massage everything around to dissolve salt and combine. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining stock-cider mixture.
To cook the chicken: Allow chicken to come to room temperature. Heat oven to 400. Scraping off brine and vegetables, remove chicken from bag, and set aside. Place brine with vegetables and remaining stock-cider mixture in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or similar pan, and bring to a boil.
In a large bowl, combine cubed bread, vegetables and liquid, sage, parsley, thyme and greens, if using. Return pan to low heat, and add remaining 3 tablespoons butter to melt. Pack stuffing mixture into pan, and lay chicken thighs on top. Place pan onto a rimmed baking sheet to catch any overflow, and bake on lower rack for 50 to 55 minutes until chicken and stuffing are golden brown.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 872, UnsaturatedFat 25 grams, Carbohydrate 71 grams, Fat 47 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 43 grams, SaturatedFat 17 grams, Sodium 1160 milligrams, Sugar 25 grams, TransFat 1 gram