Sicilian Braised Chicken Pollo Agrodolce Food

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN: POLLO IN AGRODOLCE

Steps:

• Remove all the skin and trim the fat from the chicken.
• Cut the chicken into 8 small pieces, using both the breast and the thighs, season with salt and pepper.
• In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat.
• When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes on each side.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set them aside.
• Add the onions and celery and let cook, stirring constantly, until soft and slightly golden, about 5 minutes.
• Return the chicken pieces to the pot.
• Add the currants, sugar, vinegar, olives, capers and half the olives.
• Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Turn the heat to high and cook, turning the chicken constantly, until the vinegar evaporates, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan and allow the chicken to cook through, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Serve family style, garnished with the remaining almonds, fennel fronds, juice from orange wedges and pepperoncini.

CHICKEN AGRODOLCE (AN ITALIAN SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN)

Steps:

• In a large plastic bag, combine flour and chicken breasts, toss to coat.
• In a large skillet, saute floured chicken breasts in olive oil with the whole garlic, bay leaves and allspice berries until chicken is browned.
• Remove chicken to a plate.
• To the skillet, add honey, vinegar and wine; cook to reduce slightly, about 10 minutes on medium-high heat.
• Return chicken to skillet, add orange and lemon juices, salt and pepper, and cook about another 20 minutes or until chicken is done and sauce is reduced slightly.
• Remove garlic, bay leaves and allspice berries from sauce.
• Add pignoli and heat through, another 5 minutes or so.
• Delicious with angel hair pasta or a nice risotto.

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

Steps:

• Open canned pineapple and reserve 1/2 cup juice.
• In a medium non-metallic bowl, combine brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, salt and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch. Whisk until dissolved and set aside.
• In resealable plastic bag, combine flour and remaining cornstarch.
• Add chicken to flour mixture; seal bag and shake to coat.
• Transfer chicken to cutting board and lightly spray both sides with cooking spray.
• In large skillet over medium-high temperature, heat 1 teaspoon canola oil; swirl to coat the bottom of skillet.
• Cook chicken on one side for 4 minutes or until golden on the bottom.
• Turn chicken and pour in remaining oil, spreading as much as possible.
• Cook another 4 minutes until golden and chicken is no longer pink in the center.
• Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
• To the same skillet, add carrots, onion and red bell pepper. Cook on medium high heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 or 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.
• Make a well in center of vegetables.
• Pour pineapple juice mixture into the well; cook 1 or 2 minutes stirring the juice mixture occasionally until thickened.
• Add pineapple chunks; stir vegetables and pineapple chunks into the sauce.
• Add chicken and cook 2 or 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
• Serve and enjoy!

POLLO AGRODOLCE (VENETIAN SWEET-AND-SOUR CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Mix cloves, zest, 1/2 cup vinegar, mint, 1/4 cup oil, salt, pepper in a bowl.
• Add chicken to bowl and marinate in refrigerator 3 hours or overnight.
• Drain chicken and discard marinade Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining oil and butter.
• When butter melts, add onion, peppers, and mushrooms.
• Saute until vegetables start to brown (about 4 min).
• Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a bowl; keep warm.
• Add chicken to skillet, with what was the skin side down; sear lightly.
• Turn chicken, add raisins and pine nuts, and cook 1-2 minutes, until pine nuts begin to brown.
• Add remaining 6 Tbsp of vinegar and vermouth; bring to a simmer.
• Season lightly with salt, then reduce heat to medium.
• Cook until chicken is just done and sauce is reduced to the consistency of a light syrup.
• If sauce is thick when chicken is done, add small ladlefuls of chicken stock.
• If the sauce is too thin when the chicken is done, remove chicken and continue to reduce sauce.
• When the sauce is the correct consistency, stir in vegetables and add salt if needed.
• Turn chicken pieces over to coat with sauce, then arrange on plate and spoon vegetables and sauce over chicken.