Apple Cider Chicken
Courtesy Sunny Anderson
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter (skipped this since I didn't think it needed both oil and butter)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds) (I made two breasts but didn't halve the sauce ingredients)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped (for the Netherlandians- Albert Heijn has zoete uien or you can find them at most markets)
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges (peeled mine and added an extra apple)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups apple cider (I used some unfiltered apple juice since I think it's basically the same thing... can anyone confirm or deny this? "Cider" here is alcoholic).
Directions
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.
The Verdict: YUM! I'm not always in the mood for fruity sweet with my meat, but this really hit the spot. I think it would be a wonderful sauce to put on pork chops too!
