Normandy Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 cooking apples (Fuji or Jonagold, do NOT use a red delicious), cored and sliced into wedges (you can peel or not)
• Flour for dredging
• 4 whole chicken breasts or thigh, with skin
• Salt
• 1 large onion, peeled, sliced lengthwise (root to top) into wedges
• 1/2 cup brandy (apple brandy or Calvados if you have it)
• 2 cups apple cider (the cloudy type_
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup cream

Instructions

1. Sprinkle salt over chicken pieces and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Heat 2 Tbsp of butter in a large, oven-proof saute pan over medium heat.  Add the apple slices and saute until they turn a little brown around the edges, turning occasionally.  Sprinkle the apple slices with a little salt.  Set aside on paper towels to drain.
3. Dredge the chicken in flour and place the pieces in the saute pan, skin side down.  Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter. Fry until golden, about 3-5 minutes on medium to medium-high heat on each side.  Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add the onions and increase the heat to medium-high.  Spread the onion slices out in an even layer to cover the pan.  As the onions cook they will release moisture that will help deglaze the pan of the browned bits from the chicken.  Saute the onions, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to brown, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Add the brandy to the pan.  Using a wooden spoon, scrape any remaining browned bits off the bottom of the pan.  Let the brandy boil until it has reduced by about half.  Add the cider and bring it to a boil.
6. Sprinkle in the thyme.  Add just a pinch of salt to the cider.  Arrange the chicken legs in the pan so the skin faces up and is no submerged by the cider-brandy mixture.  Place in the oven and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside.  Place the pan back on a stove top burner on high heat.  Add the apples and boil down the sauce by half.
8. When the sauce reduces to the point where it's a little syrupy, add the cream and turn down the heat.  Taste for salt and add some if needed

To serve, spoon some apples and onions on the place, top with sauce and a piece of chicken.  Serves 4. 

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From Simply Recipes