Poulet a la Normande

Chicken browned and braised in apple cider. Great for the fall season
Note: In this recipe we brown the chicken on the stovetop, then braise the chicken in the oven, and then finish on the stovetop. You can make the whole dish on the stovetop if you wish. In step 6 just simmer the chicken on the stovetop (uncovered if skin-on, covered if using skinless chicken pieces), until cooked through and tender, 15-30 minutes. The reason to do it in the oven is to produce a crispy skin.

Yield:
4 servings
Category:
Chicken & Other Birds
Cuisine:
French

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 large bone-in chicken thighs or legs
  • salt to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 shallots, diced
  • 1 rib celery, diced
  • 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 4 strips of bacon, or back bacon diced
  • 2 tablespoons brandy or Calvados
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 cup (85 ml) chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider, fresh or alcoholic
  • 2 apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji), cored and cut into wedges
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Pat dry chicken pieces with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
  2. In a large Dutch oven brown the chicken in butter over medium-high heat until golden. (about 4 minutes per side) Remove to a separate bowl and set aside.
  3. Fry the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon to the same bowl as the browned chicken.
  4. To the same pan add the shallots and celery along with the thyme leaves and cook over low heat until soft but not coloured for 5-7 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer while stirring.
  5. Then splash some brandy into the pan and stir while scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula, continue cooking until the alcohol nearly disappears.
  6. Add the flour and stir until it's combined with the fat and turns into a paste, then slowly add the chicken stock and stir until the mixture resembles a thick gravy, then pour in the apple cider and stir to c

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