Virtue Cider Michigan Apple And Sage Roasted Chicken Recipes

ROSEMARY-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH APPLES AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray the top and bottom parts of a broiler pan with cooking spray.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and add onion slices. Sprinkle onions with 1 teaspoon salt and saute for 2 minutes. Add sugar and continue cooking until onions are translucent but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Layer apples, potatoes, and sauteed onion slices in the bottom part of the broiler pan. Cover with the part top of the broiler pan.
• Drizzle olive oil over chicken thighs. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Rub olive oil and spices thoroughly all over each thigh and place on the top part of the broiler pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 1 hour. Serve apples, potatoes, and onion alongside chicken thighs.

APPLE SAGE ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Cut apple into wedges; place in cavity of chicken.
• In small bowl, mix butter, chopped sage, salt and pepper. Starting at leg end of chicken, gently separate skin (do not peel back) from chicken breasts using fingers, being careful not to tear or puncture skin. Rub half of sage butter under skin to cover chicken breasts; replace skin. Rub remaining sage butter on outside of chicken breasts and thighs. Fold wings of chicken under back. Tie or skewer drumsticks together. On rack in shallow roasting pan or 13x9-inch pan fitted with rack, place chicken, breast side down. Cover loosely with foil. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone.
• Roast 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat cider to boiling over medium-high heat. Boil 6 to 8 minutes or until cider is reduced to 2 tablespoons.
• Uncover and carefully turn chicken breast side up. Roast 45 minutes longer, basting with cider reduction every 15 minutes, until thermometer reads at least 165°F and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 15 minutes for easiest carving. Garnish with sage sprigs.

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH APPLES AND GREENS

Steps:

• Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
• In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Cook the chicken thighs skin-side down, undisturbed, until the skin is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned on the other side, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot, turn the heat to medium-low, then add the shallots and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
• Add the cider, cider vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the cider has reduced slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot, skin-side up. Pour just enough broth around (not on!) the chicken to cover the sides of the thighs but not cover the skin on top.
• Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Partly cover and gently simmer until the thighs are cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate or sheet pan (if you'd like to broil the chicken in the next step), raise the heat to medium, and add the kale and apple to the pot. Cook, tossing often, until all the kale is wilted, the apples are just softened and the liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. While the greens cook, if you'd like to crisp the skin on the chicken, pop it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Taste for seasoning, and stir in 1 or 2 more teaspoons cider vinegar to taste. Divide the chicken and kale mixture among shallow bowls; serve with crusty bread to mop up broth.