Cider Braised Chicken Over Smoked Cheddar Grits Recipes

CIDER-BRAISED PORK CHEEKS

Steps:

• Season both sides of pork cheeks with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with flour and press it into the meat to coat thoroughly.
• Heat clarified butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear meat on both sides until richly browned, adjusting heat lower if necessary. When cheeks are browned, reduce heat to medium. Transfer cheeks to a plate to rest.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add onions, carrots, and celery to skillet. Cook and stir until softened and sweet, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Add vinegar and stir to deglaze the pan. Pour in the cider and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Add sage and rosemary. Reduce heat to low and transfer cheeks back to pan. Cover. Cook until fork tender but not falling apart, 2 to 3 hours depending on the size of the pork cheeks. Transfer to a plate.
• Bring liquid to a boil over high heat, skimming off fat as it rises to the surface. Reduce volume of liquid by about 60 to 70%. Sauce will start to thicken up. Taste for salt and season as needed. Transfer cheeks back to liquid. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until cheeks are heated through and tender and sauce is thick enough to coat cheeks.

SHREDDED BARBECUE CHICKEN OVER GRITS

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with pepper; place in a large nonstick skillet., In a large bowl, combine 1 cup broth, barbecue sauce, molasses, chili pepper and cinnamon; pour over chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165°. Shred meat with 2 forks and return to the skillet., Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring water and remaining broth to a boil. Slowly stir in grits and pumpkin. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted., Divide grits among 6 serving bowls; top each with 1/2 cup chicken mixture. Serve with tomato, sour cream, green onions and cilantro.

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH APPLES AND GREENS

Steps:

• Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
• In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Cook the chicken thighs skin-side down, undisturbed, until the skin is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned on the other side, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pot, turn the heat to medium-low, then add the shallots and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
• Add the cider, cider vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the cider has reduced slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot, skin-side up. Pour just enough broth around (not on!) the chicken to cover the sides of the thighs but not cover the skin on top.
• Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Partly cover and gently simmer until the thighs are cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate or sheet pan (if you'd like to broil the chicken in the next step), raise the heat to medium, and add the kale and apple to the pot. Cook, tossing often, until all the kale is wilted, the apples are just softened and the liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. While the greens cook, if you'd like to crisp the skin on the chicken, pop it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Taste for seasoning, and stir in 1 or 2 more teaspoons cider vinegar to taste. Divide the chicken and kale mixture among shallow bowls; serve with crusty bread to mop up broth.

CIDER BRAISED CHICKEN OVER SMOKED CHEDDAR GRITS

Steps:

• In large skillet over medium high heat, place 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Add chicken and cook about 3 minutes per side, until browned. Remove to 9x12-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
• In small bowl, whisk together apple cider, thyme, garlic salt and honey; pour over chicken.
• Place in 350°F oven and bake about 45 minutes or until fork tender. In large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat.
• Add onions and saute about 3 minutes or until transparent.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and continue cooking about 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• In medium saucepan, place water and bring to rapid boil.
• Stir in grits, reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook about 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to low; stir in butter and cheese and continue stirring until melted. Cover and remove from heat.
• To serve, place equal amounts of grits in 4 shallow bowls. Top with onion mixture and 2 chicken thighs. Garnish with thyme sprigs. Makes 4 servings.

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with 2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown chicken, skin side down first, turning once, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate, discarding oil.
• Wipe out skillet, then boil remaining ingredients until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet and braise, covered, turning once, until chicken is just cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter. Boil sauce to thicken if necessary. Whisk sauce if separated and season with salt, then pour over chicken.

CIDER BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
• Add the onion to the skillet and saute for 1 minute. Add the cider and chicken stock, and cook over high heat until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the chicken to the pan, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove the chicken breasts from the pan, and place on a warmed serving platter. Raise the heat to high and reduce the cider sauce until 1/4 c remains. Stir in the mustard and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and garnish with parsley.

CROCK POT CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• ---Crock Pot Method---.
• Place spices, tomatoes, and cider in the crock pot and stir to mix.
• Add the chicken and toss to coat.
• Set the cooker to low heat and cook for 7-9 hours, or high heat for 3-4 hours.
• At the end of cooking, remove the chicken from the crock pot, mix the cornstarch with the 2 tbsp of water, and stir the cornstarch mixture into the bottom; set the crock pot to high and cook for 15 minutes to thicken the liquids.
• Return chicken to pot and toss to coat again.
• ---Stove Top Method---.
• Brown the chicken in a large skillet over medium heat (do not use oil), skin side down, for about 10 minutes; pour off excess fat.
• Sprinkle with spices and add tomatoes; cover with cider.
• Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.
• To thicken the juices, make a slurry by combining the cornstarch with the cold water; stir it into the juices and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer, stirring.

PUMPKIN CHEDDAR GRITS

Steps:

• Combine the grits and some cold water in a bowl; the husks will rise to the top; drain in a mesh strainer.
• Combine the grits, 1 1/2 cups water, evaporated milk, and salt in a slow cooker.
• Using a wooden or plastic spoon, stir for 15 seconds.
• Add in the pumpkin and pepper, stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, until thick and creamy.
• Stir in the butter and cheese; cover, turn off the cooker and let stand for 10 minutes or until the butter and cheese melt.
• Serve immediately.

CHICKEN WITH BRAISED CELERY & CIDER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Heat the butter in a large casserole dish and brown the chicken slowly on all sides; this should take a good 10-15 mins. (Be patient, it will pay off later.) Take the chicken out of the dish, throw in the bacon and cook for 3-4 mins until starting to crisp, then add the onion, carrots and thyme and continue to cook for 4-5 mins until the vegetables soften. Stir the celery into the dish, then nestle the chicken amongst the veg, breast side down. Pour over the cider and stock, bring to a simmer, then roast the chicken uncovered for 1 hr.
• Turn the chicken the right way up and give it 30 mins more, by which point the legs should be coming away. Carefully lift the chicken from the dish. Check the seasoning of the vegetables and serve with the chicken.

BACON AND CHEDDAR GRITS QUICHE

Steps:

• Preheat over to 350 degrees.
• Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon; drain and crumble. Transfer 2 teaspoons bacon drippings to a saucepan.
• Bring drippings, milk, and butter to a boil over medium heat. Gradually whisk in grits, 1 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoons pepper; cook, whisking constantly, 15 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup cheese; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in 1 egg; spread in a 9" springform pan coated with cooking spray.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until set and browned. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese over warm grits, spreading to edges. Let stand for 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Combine half-and-half, cream, green onions, and remaining 5 eggs, 1 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper. Pour over grits; sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Place pan on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until lightly browned and just set. Let stand 20 minutes. Run a sharp knife around edges of quiche; remove sides of pan.