Cooking in Real Time: Chicken with a Twist

This dish is so good! You’ll love the apple-onion sauce that cooks while you’re preparing the chicken. You use two skillets, but it’s worth it!

Use bright red, tart, firm apples, such as Gala. Buy organic to avoid the pesticides and the wax coating they apply to the skin. No need to peel the apples, either; the red skin turns a pretty pink when being simmered.

Use real apple cider, not filtered apple juice. Since the entire apple is pressed when making cider, you’ll be better off buying organic here as well. Mom’s Organic Market in Rockville and Frederick have great organic produce, or ask at your farmers’ market for unsprayed, unwaxed fruit.

You probably don’t have smoked Gouda hanging out in your fridge. It’s worthy of a special trip to the store to get it. Although you can use another cheese, the smoked Gouda really gives this pizzazz!

1 small sweet onion (4-6 ounces)
4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, divided
¼ teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (4-6 oz. each)
2 tablespoon oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, crushed (1 tsp.)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon honey
1 pound tart, crisp, red apples (2-3 apples)

In a very large skillet over medium-low heat, pour in a half tablespoon of oil and add the butter. Peel onion and halve it lengthwise. Slice each half into the thinnest slices you can and add to skillet. Add garlic and sauté until onion becomes soft and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Don’t rush it by turning up the heat—you’re making flavor!

Meanwhile, stir together flour, salt, pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon. cinnamon and dump onto a piece of wax paper; set aside.

Slice the Gouda into 4 thick pieces and set aside.

Prepare your chicken. If you’ve used boneless chicken thighs before, you’ll know that they conveniently unroll. Tuck the cheese evenly into each thigh and roll it back up. You may need to use a toothpick to keep the thigh from unrolling.

If you’re using breasts, with a very sharp knife, cut a deep long pocket in the thickest part of the breast and tuck in the cheese. To avoid meltdown on the skillet, don’t allow any cheese to peek out from the sides.

In another large skillet, pour in 1½ tablespoons oil. Dredge chicken pieces thoroughly in flour mixture and place in skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.

Now back to your sauce. Add broth, cider, and honey to the onions, stirring to loosen any browned onion bits. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to low. Let simmer uncovered while you slice your apples.

Core apples and slice about ¼-inch thick. Place them in the skillet, sprinkle with the coriander and cinnamon. Return the mixture to a boil; immediately reduce heat to low. Let sauce simmer while the chicken finishes.

After the chicken is golden brown on one side, turn the pieces to sauté on the other side, another 8 minutes. When the chicken is done (the juices will run clear when you poke the chicken with a knife), scrape the browned bits from the pan into the apple-onion sauce and stir.

Serve chicken immediately with the apple-onion sauce. This is exceptionally good served with couscous.