Varna Style Braised Chicken Bulgarian Dish Recipes

VARNA-STYLE BRAISED CHICKEN (BULGARIAN DISH)

Steps:

• preheat oven to 200 degree Celsius.
• heat oil and butter in wok, and in the meantime season chicken with salt, pepper and thyme.
• add the seasoned chicken pieces to the wok and brown at all sides.
• place the cooked chicken in a casserole dish and set aside.
• For the sauce:.
• stir fry garlic and onions approximately 2-3 mins until soft, adding the rest of the sauce ingredients except mushrooms.
• bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add the mushrooms.
• Pour sauce over chicken, cover and bake for 1hr hour, or until cooked thoroughly.
• garnish with basil or thyme and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND HONEY

Steps:

• In a large, deep frypan over high heat, add oil and chicken. Cook chicken, turning only once, for approximately 5-8 minutes until golden brown. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. Reducing heat to medium, add onion and cook for 1 minute than add garlic and cook for another minute.
• Return chicken to pan, add the lemon, chicken stock and honey. Reduce heat to medium-low, place cover on pan and simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Preheat broiler. Increase heat to medium and simmer sauce, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes to thicken. Place chicken under a hot broiler for 3-4 minutes until crisp. Place chicken on serving platter, top with sauce and fresh oregano leaves.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED BALSAMIC-BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Melt butter with 1 teaspoon of the Liquid Smoke.
• Saute shallots until golden, then add garlic.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then brown chicken about 10 minutes, turning once.
• Add garlic and one cup of water to skillet and boil, stirring, one minute.
• Return chicken to skillet and arrange skin sides up.
• Gently simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through and garlic is tender, about 35 minutes.
• Remove chicken from skillet; add balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and remaining one teaspoon of Liquid Smoke.
• Boil, uncovered, until slightly thickened.
• Return chicken to pan and allow sauce to vinegar-sugar mixture to caramelize a bit on the chicken, about 10 more minutes.
• Season to tast with salt and pepper and serve!

CHICKEN GHIVECI (ROMANIAN BRAISED CHICKEN)

Steps:

• heat oil in large wok or casserole pan until hot enough to cook.
• add onions and garlic stir frying 1 min until soft.
• add bell pepper and stir fry for 1 minute
• add chicken cut ups and brown both sides 10-13 minutes.
• add rest of ingredients, stir fry for 1 min then cover and cook for 40-45 mins until the chicken looks cooked and there's no blood when pierced by a fork near the bones.
• garnish with thyme or rosemary (optional) and serve with bread or rice.

BULGARIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• In dutch oven on stovetop, heat up olive oil. (If you have a thick one, use vegetable oil because it has a higher tolerance of temperature... won't burn out as quick as olive oil). Brown chicken lightly.
• Add all remaining ingredients except for parsley. Stir well.
• Cover tightly and let cook over low - low / medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender (about 2 hours).
• Turn off heat. Add parsley, mix, cover and let standd for 25-30 minutes before serving.
• ** Sauce will not be thick. If you want a thicker sauce, during last 5 minutes of cooking, mix 1-2 Tbs cornstarch or flour in separate bowl along with a few ladels of hot broth from pot. Mix away all lumps and add mixture back to pot.

COCOA-ORANGE BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a rimmed plate.
• Add onion, garlic, cocoa, chili powder, sugar, cumin, and cinnamon to pan. Cook, stirring often, until onions are limp and spices are fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup broth to pan and stir to loosen and bits stuck to bottom. Simmer until onion is limp, about 5 minutes.
• Return chicken to pan. Using a zester or fine grater, grate enough peel (orange part only, no white) from one of the oranges to make 1 tsp zest. Juice the orange into a liquid measuring cup. Add zest and 1/2 cup juice to pan (save any remaining juice for another use). Cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is no longer pink in center, about 8 minutes (cut to test).
• Meanwhile, cut and discard peel and membrane from remaining orange. Thinly slice crosswise into rounds; set aside.
• When chicken is done, skim any fat from sauce and discard. Add wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with orange slices and sprigs of parsley.