Autumn Fruited Chicken
Submitted by Lydia
Brandy-flambéed chicken baked with fresh apples, pears, sliced mushrooms, and apple wine until tender and saucy. An elegant fall dinner that comes together in just 35 minutes. Serve over couscous or rice.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
30 minREADY
35 minThis is the kind of dish that makes a regular weeknight feel like a dinner party.
Chicken pieces get dusted in seasoned flour, browned until golden, then hit with a splash of brandy and flambéed right in the pan. That quick burst of flame burns off the alcohol and leaves behind a deep, caramelized warmth.
From there, everything goes into a baking dish: sautéed onions, garlic, sliced mushrooms, apple wine, and fresh quartered apples and pears.
Thirty minutes in the oven and the fruit softens into the sauce, the chicken turns silky tender, and the whole kitchen fills with this incredible autumn fragrance.
Thicken the pan juices with a touch of cornstarch and spoon it all over couscous, noodles, or rice.
Chef Tips
- Brown the chicken well before it goes into the baking dish. That golden crust adds flavor and texture that you won’t get if you skip this step.
- Rinse the apple and pear quarters in lemon water after cutting to prevent browning. It keeps them looking fresh and beautiful in the finished dish.
- Use a firm pear like Bosc. Soft, ripe pears will dissolve into mush during baking. You want pieces that hold their shape.
Variations
- Autumn Fruited Pork: Swap the chicken for thick-cut bone-in pork chops. They pair beautifully with the fruit and wine sauce.
- Cranberry Addition: Toss in half a cup of fresh cranberries with the apples and pears for a tart, jewel-toned twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Shake chicken pieces in a plastic bag with flour, salt and pepper until lightly dusted and then brown in a little oil with melted butter. Pour the brandy over and flame. Set aside.
Sauté the onion and garlic, adding a little more oil/butter to the pan if needed. Place chicken, onion mixture, mushrooms and wine in a baking dish . Add pears and apples.
Bake, covered, at 350℉ (180℃). for 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and fruit to a heated platter and thicken sauce with cornstarch which has been mixed with a little water or chicken stock. Adjust seasonings. Serve over couscous, noodles or rice.
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