Cider-Braised Chicken with Apples and Fennel
As the cold winds blow and the autumn leaves fall to the ground, it is time for braising your favorite autumn ingredients. Here chicken thighs, apples, and fennel are browned in the fat rendered from bacon then deglazed with a natural apple cider. Fennel seed and tarragon enhance the fennel bulb flavors. This dish comes together in about an hour for a lovely weeknight or weekend dinner.
6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
3 slices uncured bacon, small dice
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 apples (like Gravenstein, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Jonagold) cored, cut into 8 wedges each
1 large bulb fennel, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cut into 12 core-attached wedges total
1 ½ cup apple cider
1 ½ teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
½ teaspoon fennel seed, finely ground
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large straight-sided skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.
2. In the skillet with the bacon drippings, add the chicken thighs, skin side down over medium-high heat. When browned, turn over and brown the chicken bottoms, about ten to twelve minutes total. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan.
3. Add the apples to the skillet and brown on both sides, about four minutes. Remove the apples and brown the fennel wedges on both sides, about four minutes. Remove from the pan.
4. Discard any remaining fat from the pan. Deglaze the pan with the apple cider, using a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tarragon, ground fennel seed, mustard, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
5. Return the fennel and chicken to the pan skin side up and cook covered for ten to fifteen minutes until chicken is at least 165°F in the thickest part. Remove the cover and add the apples. Continue cooking uncovered until the cider is syrupy.
6. Plate the chicken with the apples and fennel. Drizzle with the cider mixture and top with reserved bacon bits.
Cider-Braised Chicken with Apples and Fennel
Ingredients
- 3 slices uncured bacon, small dice
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 apples (like Gravenstein, Granny Smith, Fuji, or Jonagold) cored, cut into 8 wedges each
- 1 large bulb fennel, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cut into 12 core-attached wedges total
- 1 ½ cup apple cider
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
- ½ teaspoon fennel seed, finely ground
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large straight-sided skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.
- In the skillet with the bacon drippings, add the chicken thighs, skin side down over medium-high heat. When browned, turn over and brown the chicken bottoms, about ten to twelve minutes total. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan.
- Add the apples to the skillet and brown on both sides, about four minutes. Remove the apples and brown the fennel wedges on both sides, about four minutes. Remove from the pan.
- Discard any remaining fat from the pan. Deglaze the pan with the apple cider, using a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tarragon, ground fennel seed, mustard, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
- Return the fennel and chicken to the pan skin side up and cook covered for ten to fifteen minutes until chicken is at least 165°F in the thickest part. Remove the cover and add the apples. Continue cooking uncovered until the cider is syrupy.
- Plate the chicken with the apples and fennel. Drizzle with the cider mixture and top with reserved bacon bits.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
140.13Fat (grams)
5.33Sat. Fat (grams)
1.64Carbs (grams)
16.84Fiber (grams)
2.23Net carbs
14.62Sugar (grams)
12.86Protein (grams)
7.57Sodium (milligrams)
383.16Cholesterol (grams)
33.43