Apple Cider Braised Chicken Legs Recipes

CHICKEN NORMANDY (CHICKEN LEGS BRAISED IN APPLE CIDER & BRANDY)

Steps:

• Fry the apples: Peel, quarter, remove seeds and slice the apples. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet, add the apples in one layer and fry them until golden brown, flipping a few times. Once cooked on both sides, remove apple slices and set them aside (about 5-7 minutes)
• Sear the Chicken: To the same skillet add another 2 tablespoons of butter; season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and sprinkle with flour. Sear the chicken on the hot pan for 5-7 minutes on each side until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Then remove the chicken from a pan and set aside.
• Prepare the braising liquid: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. To the same pan add sliced onions. Sauté the onions on medium heat for approximately 5-7, add garlic and dry thyme and cook for another minute. Deglaze the pan with brandy and cook until half of it has evaporated, then add apple cider (cloudy apple juicer) and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Braise the chicken: Add the chicken (skin side up) back to the skillet, cover the pan and move to the hot oven. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven using heavy-duty oven mittens.
• Finish up the sauce: Remove your chicken onto a plate and finish up the sauce. First, add heavy cream and then Dijon mustard and mix well. Cook it for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens out. Add fried apples, fresh thyme, and chicken back to the skillet (to soak up some of the sauce).
• Serve: To serve place the sauce onto the plate, make sure each plate has onions, apples, and enough sauce to dunk in. Place a chicken leg on top of the sauce and serve. Enjoy!

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.

APPLE CIDER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, add to pan and sear until golden, about 4 minutes each side. Remove chicken from pan, and set aside. Add remaining butter and onion, apple, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Saute until apple begins to get color and onions soften, about 6 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Nestle chicken back into pan, add cider, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH APPLES AND GREENS

Steps:

• Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
• In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Cook the chicken thighs skin-side down, undisturbed, until the skin is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned on the other side, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot, turn the heat to medium-low, then add the shallots and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
• Add the cider, cider vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the cider has reduced slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot, skin-side up. Pour just enough broth around (not on!) the chicken to cover the sides of the thighs but not cover the skin on top.
• Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Partly cover and gently simmer until the thighs are cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate or sheet pan (if you'd like to broil the chicken in the next step), raise the heat to medium, and add the kale and apple to the pot. Cook, tossing often, until all the kale is wilted, the apples are just softened and the liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. While the greens cook, if you'd like to crisp the skin on the chicken, pop it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Taste for seasoning, and stir in 1 or 2 more teaspoons cider vinegar to taste. Divide the chicken and kale mixture among shallow bowls; serve with crusty bread to mop up broth.