Varna Style Braised Chicken Bulgarian Dish Food

BULGARIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• In dutch oven on stovetop, heat up olive oil. (If you have a thick one, use vegetable oil because it has a higher tolerance of temperature... won't burn out as quick as olive oil). Brown chicken lightly.
• Add all remaining ingredients except for parsley. Stir well.
• Cover tightly and let cook over low - low / medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender (about 2 hours).
• Turn off heat. Add parsley, mix, cover and let standd for 25-30 minutes before serving.
• ** Sauce will not be thick. If you want a thicker sauce, during last 5 minutes of cooking, mix 1-2 Tbs cornstarch or flour in separate bowl along with a few ladels of hot broth from pot. Mix away all lumps and add mixture back to pot.

CHICKEN GHIVECI (ROMANIAN BRAISED CHICKEN)

Steps:

• heat oil in large wok or casserole pan until hot enough to cook.
• add onions and garlic stir frying 1 min until soft.
• add bell pepper and stir fry for 1 minute
• add chicken cut ups and brown both sides 10-13 minutes.
• add rest of ingredients, stir fry for 1 min then cover and cook for 40-45 mins until the chicken looks cooked and there's no blood when pierced by a fork near the bones.
• garnish with thyme or rosemary (optional) and serve with bread or rice.

VARNA-STYLE BRAISED CHICKEN (BULGARIAN DISH)

Steps:

• preheat oven to 200 degree Celsius.
• heat oil and butter in wok, and in the meantime season chicken with salt, pepper and thyme.
• add the seasoned chicken pieces to the wok and brown at all sides.
• place the cooked chicken in a casserole dish and set aside.
• For the sauce:.
• stir fry garlic and onions approximately 2-3 mins until soft, adding the rest of the sauce ingredients except mushrooms.
• bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add the mushrooms.
• Pour sauce over chicken, cover and bake for 1hr hour, or until cooked thoroughly.
• garnish with basil or thyme and serve.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED BALSAMIC-BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Melt butter with 1 teaspoon of the Liquid Smoke.
• Saute shallots until golden, then add garlic.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then brown chicken about 10 minutes, turning once.
• Add garlic and one cup of water to skillet and boil, stirring, one minute.
• Return chicken to skillet and arrange skin sides up.
• Gently simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through and garlic is tender, about 35 minutes.
• Remove chicken from skillet; add balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and remaining one teaspoon of Liquid Smoke.
• Boil, uncovered, until slightly thickened.
• Return chicken to pan and allow sauce to vinegar-sugar mixture to caramelize a bit on the chicken, about 10 more minutes.
• Season to tast with salt and pepper and serve!

MOROCCAN BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Pour broth into a large, wide saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in seasonings and garlic. Add onions and carrots to broth. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Boil gently until carrots begin to soften slightly, about 5 minute.
• Stir zucchini and chicken into broth. Then stir into broth with sugar, raisins and apricots. Increase heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is springy when pressed, 7 to 10 minute.

CROCK POT BRAISED CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Brush the inside of a 6-quart crock pot with melted butter.
• Place the onion slices in the bottom of the crock pot/slow cooker.
• Top with potato slices, carrots and peas.
• In a bowl combine the broth, wine, garlic, 1 teaspoon seasoned or white salt, black pepper and thyme; pour the mixture over the vegetables.
• In a small bowl mix together 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika, 1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt (or to taste) and black pepper to taste; rub on top of the skin on the chicken.
• Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.
• Cover and cook on LOW setting for about 7-8 hours, or until the chicken is tender.