Cider-Braised Chicken & Vegetables

This week's holiday recipe exchange theme is one-pot meals.  I love one-pot meals.  And this week's sponsor is Le Creuset. You know it...I love Le Creuset.  It's such a vibrant colorful rainbow to look at, fantastic cookware and hand weights all in one.

I volunteered last week to make a dinner for someone at church who'd just had surgery.  I'd seen this recipe for Cider-Braised Chicken in The Ski Country Cookbook awhile ago but just hadn't gotten around to making it.  AND it just happens to be a one pot meal.  Three birds with one stone isn't too shabby.

Cookbook # 79, The Ski Country Cookbook is exactly what you would imagine it to be...great hearty recipes for cold weather eating including recipes for oatmeal with orange marmalade and toasted pecans, wild mushroom, chicken and orzo soup, italian-style chicken stew and chilis.

This Cider-Braised chicken was tasty, or it was from what I could tell from the sauce and bite of the carrots.  I took this opportunity to actually use  bone-in chicken breasts.  I know that bone in meats are extra flavorful and juicy and they actually look like a lot of fun to cook.   I love the idea of throwing a skin-on, bone-in chicken down into a big dutch oven...that just feels cozy and rustic.  I have a weird aversion to any meat on a bone so very rarely get to make something like this,  but since this was for another family, I went for it.  The skin was dark and crispy looking and looked so fabulous when added back into the cider and white wine mixture.   Of course you can't tell that from the photos but I didn't think I should be plating and playing with someone else's food before placing it back into an aluminum takeout container for delivery.

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Exchange sponsored by Le Creuset.

Cider-Braised Chicken and Vegetables

adapted from The Ski Country Cookbook by Barbara Scott-Goodman

2 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, bone in

salt and pepper 

3 tbsp Olive OIl

4 shallots finely diced

1 1/2 cups apple cider

1 cup dry white wine

1 tsp cider vinegar

3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 large potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1 inch dice

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/3 cup water

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Season with salt and pepper
2. In large dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken in two batches, skin side down and cook until skins crispy and brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside
3. Add shallots to pan and cook over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute.  Deglaze pan by pouring in the cider and wine and bringing to a boil, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins
4. Add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken to pan.  Add carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat until vegetables are tender, about 25 to 30 mins.
5. Transfer chicken and vegetables to serving dish.  Bring sauce to full simmer and add mustard and lemon juice.  Whisk until well combined.  Whisk cornstarch and water again and then add to pan, whisking well to incorporate.  Cook 30 seconds until sauce thickens.  Pour over chicken and serve immediately.