The Best Braised Chicken With Dried Plums Food

CRISPY CHICKEN WITH PEACHES AND PLUMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450˚. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange skin-side down in a large ovenproof skillet (the chicken will be snug) and place over medium-high heat. Cook until the chicken skin is sizzling, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the skin is very browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes (reduce the heat slightly if the chicken is browning too quickly). Transfer the chicken skin-side up to a plate; reserve the skillet.
• Meanwhile, remove the lemon zest in wide strips using a vegetable peeler, then juice the lemon. Trim and quarter the shallots. Smash the garlic. Cut the peaches and plums into 3/4-inch-thick wedges.
• Discard all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet. Add the lemon zest, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the peaches, plums, honey and thyme sprigs, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• Place the chicken, skin-side up, on top of the fruit and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the fruit is soft and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs. Divide among plates and top with the thyme leaves.

ROAST CHICKENS WITH PLUMS

Steps:

• Grate the zest from the lemons and place in a small bowl. Set aside the zested lemons.
• Stir sumac, salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice into the lemon zest. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic. The mixture should feel like wet sand. Rub it all over the chickens, including inside the cavity.
• Divide thyme bunch in half and place in the chicken cavities. Place chickens on a roasting rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, and let marinate, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
• When ready to roast, let chickens come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large roasting pan, toss together plums, shallots, honey, oil, salt, cinnamon, allspice, bay leaf and 2 tablespoons water. Spread out plum mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place chickens on the rack over the plums in the pan. Roast for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from reserved lemon and mix it with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Drizzle this over the chicken, then continue to roast until the birds are golden-skinned and cooked through, about 30 to 45 minutes longer.
• Let chickens rest, covered lightly with foil, for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with the plums and more thyme for garnish.

WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the chicken pieces skin-side down in a single layer in the pot. Cook on both sides, turning several times, until the skin is browned, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Add the garlic, carrot chunks and onion quarters, followed by the wine, stock, apricots and rosemary. Stir together, then return the chicken to the pot. Bring to the boil, cover and braise in the oven until the chicken and vegetables are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Serve the chicken over Cheese Grits with the onions, carrots, garlic and apricots, making sure to get a spoonful or two of the cooking liquid. Garnish with parsley and serve.
• Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly stir in the grits, then return to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn down the heat to low and stir in the Cheddar and cream cheese. Cook until the Cheddar is melted and the cream cheese is incorporated into the mixture, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the butter and keep warm until ready to serve.

THE BEST BRAISED CHICKEN WITH DRIED PLUMS

Steps:

• In a heavy pot or skillet (with a lid), heat oil over medium-high.
• Season chicken with salt & pepper. Cook in 2 batches until browned, 8-9 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a plate.
• To pot, add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion begins to brown, 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat if necessary.
• Add flour, cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add wine and chicken along with any accumulated juices.
• Add bay leaves (if using).
• Cover and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, 8-10 minutes (or thirty if your pan sucks too!). Stir in prunes.
• If you prefer the sauce to be less watery, remove lid, and continue to cook on medium heat until the sauce reduces to the desired consistency.
• Remove bay leaves, and serve with polenta or mashed potatoes to catch the savory sauce.

PAN-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH DRIED FRUITS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken on all sides with cumin, salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Push chicken to side of skillet. Add garlic to skillet and stir 30 seconds. Add dried fruits, wine, broth and olives and bring to boil. Simmer chicken uncovered until just cooked through, turning chicken occasionally with tongs, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to plates. Increase heat and boil until sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken.

30-MINUTE BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place a heavy pan over a high heat and drop in the onion with the oil. Stir well and cook for 2 mins, then add garlic.
• Add the chicken and cook for a few mins, turning each piece until they all have a little colour. Add the chopped apples and the prunes, stir well, pour in the wine and bring to the boil.
• Simmer covered for 20 mins until the chicken is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with some mashed potato.