Chef Freddy's Fruited Chicken

This chicken recipe is a hybrid technique that uses the stovetop for browning and the microwave for the slow cook. The skillet handles the colour and Maillard flavour up front, then a microwave casserole takes over for the gentle finish under a sweet-tart sauce of canned fruit pie filling, dry white wine, lime juice, brown sugar, and a warm spice trio of allspice, nutmeg, and cloves.

The fruit pie filling is the clever pantry move. Cherry, apple, or peach all work, and each gives the sauce a different character. The lime juice cuts the sweetness so the dish doesn’t slide into dessert territory, and the wine adds backbone.

Microwaving on low (not high) for 20 minutes is critical. High heat will toughen the chicken; low heat lets the chicken finish gently while the sauce thickens around it.

Chef Tips

• Pat the chicken thoroughly dry before browning. Wet chicken steams instead of browns, and you lose the colour-and-flavour foundation that gives the dish its depth.
• Use cherry pie filling for the most classic-tasting version. Apple gives a milder, fall-spiced profile; peach veers tropical.
• The half cup of lime juice is more than seems necessary, but trust it. The acidity balances the sugar in the pie filling.
• Drain the chicken well after browning. Excess oil in the casserole will float on top of the sauce and look greasy.

Variations

• Serve over wide egg noodles, buttery rice, or even creamy mashed potatoes to catch the sauce.
• Swap the white wine for dry sherry or apple juice for a non-alcoholic version.
• Add a quarter cup of toasted slivered almonds or chopped pecans as a garnish for crunch.