Do you want to surprise your loved ones and cook a bird under some unusual sauce? Then try making it with apples or apricots, spices and herbs.
Chicken meat is a universal product that allows you to cook a huge number of dishes in a variety of ways. It can be fried, boiled, baked in the oven, stewed with sauces and gravies, made cutlets, meatballs and much more! Chicken, unlike beef, pork and lamb, goes well with various berries, fruits and dried fruits, including the classics of the genre - apples.
To prepare this dish, you can use either a whole chicken, or only a thigh or breast; in the case of using the latter, the fat content will be minimal.
You'll need:
- one small whole chicken (~ 1, 1 kg) or 700 - 800 grams of boneless thigh (breast) meat;
- one apple, preferably sour or sweet and sour varieties;
- 100-200 milliliters of virgin apple juice;
- two medium onions;
- two cloves of garlic;
- ready-made seasoning for chicken or poultry;
- a sprig of dill and / or other herbs;
- 2-3 peas of allspice;
- red hot pepper to taste (only for hot lovers);
- 2 pcs. carnations;
- a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar;
- salt
It is better to use freshly squeezed apple juice in the recipe, but if this is not possible, use ready-made from the store, but be sure to first press. This juice is made from apples, and not from concentrate, so it is much better quality and more suitable for cooking dishes with thermal culinary processing.
You can replace apples with apricots and apricot juice - it will turn out no worse, on the contrary, somehow more exotic! This fruit combines perfectly with poultry spices, creating a unique oriental taste and aroma.
This sauce is suitable not only for chicken, but also for duck or turkey.
Preparation
Wash and dry the chicken. If using the whole carcass, remove the skin and cut into portions. If using breast or thigh meat, simply cut it open.
Peel the garlic, crush with a knife and chop very finely.
Salt and pepper the meat, sprinkle with seasoning, pour with lemon juice and rub thoroughly with garlic. Put in a plastic bag, remove as much air as possible, tie and refrigerate for several hours (at least two).
Cut the onion into half rings. Pour vegetable oil into a fairly deep frying pan and fry the onion over low heat until golden brown, then put it in a separate bowl so that the oil remains in the pan.
Add chicken and fry until half cooked (about 7-8 minutes).
Put the onion to the meat, pour in the juice, add a little water so that the liquid slightly covers the meat. Simmer over low heat for about 20-25 minutes.
Cut the apple into small pieces. Ten minutes before the end of the process, add the peas, cloves, finely chopped herbs and a chopped apple to the gravy.
Remove from heat and let sit for about 15 minutes.
Serve with any side dish (rice, potatoes, pasta, buckwheat, bulgur) and fresh vegetables.
If the sauce is too sour, add a little granulated sugar at the end of cooking.
