Name: Apple Cider Chicken
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (see note); Salt and pepper; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 onion, chopped fine; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme; 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour; 1 large Golden Delicious , Cortland, or Jonagold apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks; 1 cup apple cider; 1/4 cup apple brandy (see note); 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Why This Recipe Works

For super-crisp skin on our Apple Cider Chicken, we cooked the chicken in a skillet, skin side down, until it was a deep, chestnut brown. Although we generally recommend a “low and slow" technique for braising chicken in the oven, in this case, cooking in an unusually hot oven for a shorter time kept the skin exceptionally crisp. Apple cider alone was simply not potent enough to impart the strong apple flavor we wanted for our Apple Cider Chicken recipe. Fresh apples, apple brandy, and cider vinegar infused the chicken with apple goodness right down to the bone. For the sauce, Granny Smith apples were too sour, and several other varieties we tested turned to mush when cooked. In the end, we found Golden Delicious, Cortland, or Jonagold apples worked best.

Before You Begin

Either white or dark meat (or a combination) will work. To ensure even cooking, halve breasts crosswise and separate leg quarters into thighs and drumsticks before cooking. Plain brandy, cognac, or Calvados (a French apple brandy) can be used in place of the apple brandy.

Instructions

BROWN CHICKEN Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken, skin-side down, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Flip and brown on second side, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate.

BUILD SAUCE Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Cook onion in chicken fat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and flour and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and flour is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add apple, cider, and 3 tablespoons brandy and bring to boil.

ROAST CHICKEN Nestle chicken, skin-side up, into sauce and roast until white meat registers 160 degrees (or dark meat registers 175 degrees), about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Stir vinegar and remaining brandy into sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.