Beer Braised Chicken With Bacon And Fennel Food

BEER-BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Add the olive oil to the drippings in the pot. Add the chicken in batches and cook over medium-high heat until golden on the bottom, 6 to 7 minutes, then flip and sear the other side, about 1 minute.
• Add the beer, onions, potatoes, mustard, sugar, thyme and 1 cup water to the pot and stir, making sure the chicken is fully submerged. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme and stir in the bacon and parsley.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL

Steps:

• Trim fennel bulbs, and set aside fronds. In a blender or food processor, pulse about 1/2 cup fronds, garlic, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Add 1/3 cup oil and purée.
• Halve fennel bulbs lengthwise. Slice thinly with a mandoline or very sharp knife.
• Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown chicken until skin is crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving drippings in pan.
• Stir fennel seeds into skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Add sliced fennel and onion, seasoning with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Pernod and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.
• Lay chicken on top of the fennel-onion mixture. Pour 3 tablespoons water into the pan. Cover skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and cook off any excess liquid if necessary. Stir in lemon juice.
• Serve chicken and vegetables topped with generous dollops of the fennel frond purée.

BEER BRAISED CHICKEN WITH BACON AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon until nice and crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and crumble when cooled.
• Pat the chicken dry and season on all sides with salt and pepper.
• If your bacon did not render enough fat, add a bit of olive oil.
• Sear the chicken on all sides in the pan with the rendered bacon fat, until the outside is brown and crispy. Remove the chicken to a plate.
• Add the fennel to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and saute until caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes. Add a little olive oil if necessary.
• (Add a little water if the fennel starts to burn). Alternately, I added a splash of beer to deglaze the pan.
• Pour in the beer, scrape up any bits that are on the bottom of your pan and bring it to a simmer. Nestle the chicken and all resting juices, breast side down, in the fennel and beer.
• Cover and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, flipping the chicken over after 20 minutes. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
• Remove the pan from the oven and put over low heat.
• Remove the chicken pieces to a warmed serving platter.
• Add the vinegar to the sauce and simmer to reduce to a thicker consistency, about 5 minutes. NOTE: Check for seasonings, add salt & pepper to taste. Add more cider vinegar for more of a twang.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces, top with crumbled bacon and serve immediately.
• If you want a smoother sauce, just strain the sauce after it has reduced.
• I served with recipe#485414 and buttered egg noodles.

BEER BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon until nice and crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and crumble when cooled.
• Pat the chicken dry and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken on all sides in the pan with the rendered bacon fat, until the outside is brown and crispy. Remove the chicken to a plate and add the fennel to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and saute until caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes. Add a little water if the fennel starts to burn. Pour in the beer and bring it to a simmer. Nestle the chicken and all resting juices, breast side down, in the fennel and beer. Cover and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, flipping the chicken over after 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and put over low heat. Remove the chicken pieces to a warmed serving platter. Add the vinegar to the sauce and simmer to reduce to a thicker consistency, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces, top with crumbled bacon and serve immediately. If you want a smoother sauce, just strain the sauce after it has reduced.

BEER BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until very hot.
• Add chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer chicken to a large plate, using a slotted spoon.
• Add onions to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned. Transfer onions to plate with chicken, using a slotted spoon.
• Stir flour into drippings in the skillet until blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until flour is dark brown.
• Gradually stir in beer, and cook until sauce boils and thickens slightly, stirring constantly.
• Stir in bay leaf, brown sugar, salt, thyme, and pepper.
• Return chicken and onions to skillet; heat to boiling over high heat.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender.
• Skim fat from sauce in skillet. Discard bay leaf. Stir in wine vinegar.

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS WITH GRAPES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Season chicken legs all over with 3 tsp. salt.
• Swirl 1 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to coat and heat over medium-high. Place 2 chicken legs, skin side down, in pot, making sure skin is in direct contact with pan. Cook, undisturbed, until dark golden, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until golden on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining 2 chicken legs; reserve pot.
• Meanwhile, working one at a time, stand a bulb, root end down, on a cutting board and slice off a short end to create a flat surface. Turn cut side down and slice ½" thick, starting from the top end of bulb so the root end can hold the layers in place while you slice. Discard last ¼" (root end) of each bulb and pop out and discard tougher center from slices. Transfer fennel to a large bowl and add half of the grapes, ½ tsp. salt, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; toss to coat. Set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium and combine broth, honey, chile paste, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in reserved pot. Stir to combine and dissolve salt. Place remaining grapes in pot and arrange chicken legs, skin side up and overlapping if needed, over grapes. Top with dressed fennel and grapes. (Don't worry if it looks crowded: Fennel will soften as it cooks.)
• Transfer pot, uncovered, to oven and roast until fennel is slightly softened, with some crispy, caramelized edges, grapes on top are swollen and browned in spots, and chicken is cooked through, 30-40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer grapes and fennel to a bowl and chicken to a platter. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring braising liquid to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half (you should have about 1 cup liquid), 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and fennel fronds.
• Spoon sauce over chicken and serve with fennel and grapes alongside.