How To Cook Chicken Cooked In Cider

Chicken is justifiably one of the best loved meats in the world.
It is very lean, is protein rich, super versatile and plays a major part in many diet recipes. If you can buy an free range chicken, that will be better still, as it will be less likely to be contaminated with additives and hormones. It's also a sound idea from an humanitarian point of view, as most of the supermarket chickens are kept in conditions that are quite awful.

If you are not trying to lose weight, there is no need to worry, there is more to chicken than low fat recipes. All the same, most chicken recipes will be, in general, healthier for you than a similar recipe prepared using other meats.

Here is one such recipe that'll please both family and friends.

The recipe needs:

One chicken (approximately 3.5 lb)
Two C. of traditional cyder
Six apples (peeled and cut into quarters)
salt (as needed)
pepper (as needed)
1 teaspoonful cornstarch
1/2 C. of whipping cream
1 Tbs of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 C. of butter
Two Tbs of oil (olive)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (not obligatory)
4 spring onions, (chopped fine)
Two whole cloves
1/4 teaspoonful ginger
1 sprig of parsley, (chopped fine, for use as a garnish)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Two teaspoons of sugar

Method:

Wash the Chicken and dry it well.
Combine the salt and pepper and rub it into the organic chicken (both inside and out)
Pour the lemon juice over the apple pieces.

Melt half the butter in a skillet and mix in the olive oil.
Add half of the apples to the pan and fry lightly for 5 minutes (until they have browned a little)
Mix in the ginger and mix well, frying a little longer to enable the ginger to release it's flavours.
Stuff the chicken with mixture from the frying pan and close-up the chicken by tying with string or by 'pinning' it with a metal or wooden skewer.

Melt the remaining butter into the pan and then add the chicken to the skillet and fry until the skin is browned a little, turning it so it browns evenly.
Transfer the chicken to a large casserole pot with lid.
Take the rest of the apple, the spring onions, ground cinnamon, dried thyme, sugar and cloves and transfer them to the pan.

Heat for two to three mins then add the apple cyder and increase the heat to start the mixture boiling.

Once the is at boiling point, pour it over the bird and replace the lid, using foil or wax paper to ensuer a good tight seal.

Transfer to the oven and cook for approx 3/4 hour at 400F/200C

When the time is up, transfer it to a warmed plate to keep warm whilst the gracy/sauce is prepared.

Skim the fat from the contents of the casserole pot and then boil the juices down until there is approximately one cupful remaining.

Pour in the whipping cream and cornstarch, stirring until it is thick and creamy.
Season to taste, and pour the gravy over the cooked chicken

Toss some of the parsley over the top, and serve.

If you want to keep the whole meal healthy, you may want to add a vegetable side dish of steamed broccoli or spring greens and new potatoes.

Source: articlesnatch

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