Chicken with Apples and Onions

This recipe was originally found in the Times-Picayune newspaper by my wonderful friend Miriam a long time ago.  I think she was living in her first college apartment.  I never got a copy of the recipe and we only made it together once but, I continued working on it over the years and finally wrote down my own version.   I did have the joy of using fresh apples that I picked from a orchard in Maryland this past summer, but any nice variety of red apples will work just fine.  This dish is just as satisfying, warm and hearty as it is still light and healthy.

Chicken & Apples
Ingredients:

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Large Yellow Onion (Peeled & Sliced)

3-4 Cloves of Garlic (Chopped)

1-2 Tablespoons Fresh Minced Rosemary

¾ Cup White Wine

2 -3 Apples (Halved, Cored, Sliced) Leave Skins On

1 ½ Tablespoons Good Dijon Mustard

1 ½ Cups Good Quality Chicken Stock

1 ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1-Teaspoon Pepper

Lightly pound both chicken breast between two pieces of parchment or wax paper to assure even cooking.  Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper then roll in flour.

Add olive oil to skillet over medium-high heat.  Sear chicken breast on both sides until nicely golden brown.  Remove from pan and set aside. 

Lower the heat and add the sliced onions and sauté until just tender.  Then add the garlic and rosemary and continue to sauté for about 2 minutes.  Don’t burn the garlic or it will get bitter - not sweet.  

Add the white wine to deglaze the pan scraping all the brown bits, and then bring back up to a simmer.  Add the mustard, salt and pepper.  Stir until the mustard is disolved. 

Add the apples and stir until each apple is completely coated with the mixture.  Add the chicken stock and bring back up to a simmer until the apples are just slightly tender. 

Then add the chicken breast and any remaining juices back to the skillet, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes until the apples are tender and the chicken is moist. Checking periodically, gently stir and taste occasionally to make any final adjustments. 

A few notes:

I use “Kitchen Basics” stock; it is richer tasting and better for you than most other brands.

You can prep the chicken breast in advance (except for the flour) and store in the refrigerator until ready.

This recipe serves two.  If you want to make 4 servings I would sear them in batches of two first to avoid overcrowding allowing the chicken to brown nicely. 

You can double the recipe but be sure to check the taste before adding the salt and pepper.

Serving Suggestions:

Cornbread is good for dipping in the sauce as in the picture.

Mashed potatoes are also really good.

Brown rice is a nice healthy choice.