Braised chicken thighs in apple cider sauce
As soon as the temperatures drop and the leaves change color, cooking moves more indoors. It's the perfect time for warming braised dishes that simmer slowly in the oven, filling the kitchen with a wonderful aroma. A true classic for this cozy time of year is chicken thighs in apple cider sauce.
- 4 chicken thighs (approx. 250 - 300 g each)
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions
- 2 tart apples (e.g. Boskop or Elstar)
- 250 ml dry cider
- 150 ml chicken broth
- 100 ml Stage
- 1 tsp mustard
- 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1. Butter
- 1 TL Honig
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C using top and bottom heat.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and rub them with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a roasting pan and brown the chicken thighs on all sides. Then remove them and set them aside.
- Peel the onions and slice them into rings. Cut the apples into wedges. Place both in the roasting pan and sauté them in the remaining cooking oil.
- Deglaze with cider and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the roasting pan. Pour in the stock and cream, add the rosemary sprigs and mustard, and bring the sauce to a brief boil.
- Place the chicken thighs back in the roasting pan and put it in the oven for about 45 minutes. Baste the meat with the sauce once during cooking.
- Remove the chicken thighs once they are cooked, discard the rosemary sprigs, and stir the butter and honey into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the meat with the braised apple wedges and pour some of the sauce over it. Mashed potatoes, for example, go well with this.
Recipe for chicken thighs in apple cider sauce
At first glance, the combination of sweet fruit and robust poultry might seem unusual. But it's precisely these contrasts that create a magical attraction in the kitchen. The slight acidity and fruity sweetness of the apples break up the richness of the meat. As the meat roasts, the apple wedges gently caramelize, forming a complex flavor base together with the deep roasted aromas of the poultry. Before the dish goes into the oven, you lay the foundation for this directly on the stovetop.
The first and most important step for a flavorful sauce is searing. To do this, generously rub the pieces of meat with salt and pepper. Heat some olive oil in a heavy roasting pan and sear the poultry on both sides until well browned. Once the meat has taken on some color, remove it from the pan and set it aside briefly on a plate.
In the remaining cooking fat, sauté the coarsely chopped onions and the prepared apple wedges. They will absorb the aromas from the pot and begin to brown slightly. Now it's time to add the cider. Pour it in, scraping up any dark bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. This loosens the browned bits and incorporates them into the liquid. Next, add the stock and cream. For a touch of fresh herbs and spices, add a few sprigs of rosemary to the mixture and bring it to a rolling boil.
Now you place the browned pieces of meat back into the boiling liquid. The roasting pan then goes into the hot oven, where the poultry gently finishes cooking.
Once the meat is tender and easily falls off the bone, remove the roasting pan from the oven. To give the sauce the finishing touch, stir in cold butter and a little honey. The butter thickens the liquid slightly and gives it a beautiful sheen, while the honey complements the fruity notes of the cider.
This hearty dish calls for a side that can soak up plenty of sauce. Creamy mashed potatoes provide the ideal base. Arrange the soft mash on deep plates, place the tender meat on top, and generously spoon over the hot, fruity sauce.
