Caramelized onions give amazing complexity to the hard cider sauce recipe. The sauce is so delicious; the chicken is nearly an afterthought.
Cook’s note: Hard ciders from France are usually from Normandy and Brittany. If you have the choice, buy a Cidre Doux, or sweet cider. Demi-Sec and Cidre Brut are much too strong and dry for this recipe.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 chicken tenderloins
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons butter, divided
- ½ cup chopped white onions
- 1 cup hard cider
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Preheat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the salt and black pepper. Carefully avoiding spatter, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the hot skillet, and then brown the seasoned chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a small roasting pan.
Add the remaining butter to the pan, and allow it to melt. Sauté the chopped onions over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and slightly brown around the edges. Add the hard cider to the skillet and bring it to a boil for 4 minutes, making sure to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Makes 4 servings.
Pour the thickened cider over the browned chicken and roast in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and it registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Serve the chicken hot with cider sauce poured over it.
