CREAMY CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN & LEEKS

Chances of setting off a fire alarm is a little high, turning on a fan or opening a window helps!

*Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, photo by Travis Rainey

Ingredients

Yield: 4 servings

2½ pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken (breasts and/or legs)

1 tablespoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2–3 large leeks, halved lengthwise, sliced on a diagonal into 3" long pieces

4–8 garlic cloves, coarsley chopped

1 tablespoons all purpose flour

1½ cups apple cider

¼ cup Calvados (optional)

¼ cup finely chopped tarragon

8 ounces créme fraîche or sour cream

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Bread and lemon wedges for serving

Directions

Step One
Heat the oven to 350° fahrenheit, position a rack in the middle of the oven.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper all over. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil into a cold large, high-sided, ovenproof skillet. Arrange the chicken, skin side down in the skillet and set over medium heat.

Cook undisturbed, rotating the pan around the burner to even browning, until the skin is deep golden brown and the chicken releases easily. 15–20 minutes. 

Transfer to a plate.

Step Two
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet. Return the pan medium heat; cook the leeks (white and pale green parts only), garlic, and 1 tablespoon flour. Stir until garlic is fragrant and flour is lightly toasted (30 seconds).

Add the apple cider, Calvados (if using), and tarragon, scraping up any brown bits.

Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced by two thirds. 9–12 minutes.

Step Three
Remove the the sauce from heat; stir in créme fraîche, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper.

Step Four
Arrange chicken, skin side up in the skillet, over leeks and roast, uncovered. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and registeres at least 165°, 35–55 minutes.

Serve with bread and lemon wedges.

In the Rotation

A collection of adapted recipes that avoid setting off the smoke alarm in small apartments. From the curated list of the favorite meals that enter into the rotation of Will Scheideler and September McCarthy.

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