Beer Braised Chicken with Bacon
Course:
Dinner
Yield:
Serves 4
Time:
Preparation Time: 25 Minutes
Cooking Time: 1 Hour, 15 Minutes
I turned to the rich and malt-y beer-based stews of Belgium as inspiration for the braising medium for these chicken legs. In Belgium, beef is the protein of choice for this hearty soup, but in this recipe, i instead go for bone-in and skinless chicken drumsticks, a cup of light beer boosted with beef broth, and a couple of bacon strips to add their unmistakably comforting smoky, savory taste. Serve this heady dish with some whole grain noodles or brown rice for a truly stick-to-your-ribs meal.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken legs, legs separated from thighs, skin removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 bacon strips, finely chopped
- 1 medium sweet onion (such as maui or vidalia), halved and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
- 1 cup light beer
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
DIRECTIONS:
- Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Season both sides of each piece of chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
- Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Add the bacon to the pot and cook until crisp and browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and add the onion to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and cook until the onions are golden-brown, stirring often, about 15 minutes.
- Stir the apricots into the onion, cook 1 minute, then increase the heat to medium-high. Pour in the beer and let it simmer and reduce for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth, water, bay leaf, browned chicken, and bacon and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for 30 minutes, then uncover the pot and cook until the liquid reduces a little, about 15 minutes longer.
- Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving platter. Whisk the mustard into the sauce and pour over the chicken. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.