Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
French Chicken Normandy with Apples and Cider Cream
法式蘋果酒忌廉雞
Recipe overview
French Chicken Normandy with Apples and Cider Cream is organised into clear home-kitchen steps with truthful food states, heat levels and timings for a helper to follow.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 800 g chicken thighs
- 2 apples
- 1 onion
- 250 ml apple cider
- 200 ml chicken stock
- 120 ml cooking cream
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Seasoning
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
02
Tools
- knife
- cutting board
- frying pan
- lid
- tongs
- wooden spoon
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- kitchen paper
- serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Pat chicken dry
Pat chicken dry. Use 800 g chicken thighs. Pat every surface dry with kitchen paper, leaving no visible moisture.
Step 2
Slice apples and onion
Slice apples and onion. Use 2 apples, 1 onion. Core each apple into 8 wedges and slice the onion evenly; keep them separate.
Step 3
Season chicken
Season chicken. Use 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 800 g chicken thighs. Rub the stated seasoning evenly over every surface with no salty patches.
Step 4
Brown chicken skin-side down
Brown chicken skin-side down. Use 1 tbsp cooking oil, 800 g chicken thighs, over medium-high heat, work for 8 minutes. Press skin-side down until deeply golden and crisp, then colour the second side briefly.
Step 5
Soften onion
Soften onion. Use 1 onion, over medium heat, work for 4 minutes. Stir often until soft and translucent but not browned.
Step 6
Lightly sear apples
Lightly sear apples. Use 2 apples, over medium heat, work for 3 minutes. Both apple sides are lightly golden while the centres remain firm and intact.
Step 7
Deglaze with cider
Deglaze with cider. Use 250 ml apple cider, over medium-high heat, work for 2 minutes. Scrape the pan and reduce the liquid by about half until the sharp alcohol aroma softens.
Step 8
Add stock, thyme and mustard
Add stock, thyme and mustard. Use 200 ml chicken stock, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, over medium heat. Bring to steady small bubbles without a hard boil.
Step 9
Braise chicken gently
Braise chicken gently. Use 800 g chicken thighs, 200 ml chicken stock, at a gentle simmer, work for 15 minutes. The centre must be opaque and at least 75°C with clear juices.
Step 10
Return apples
Return apples. Use 2 apples, at a gentle simmer, work for 3 minutes. Cook until a fork tip enters the apple but each wedge remains intact, never mushy.
Step 11
Finish with cream
Finish with cream. Use 120 ml cooking cream, over low heat, work for 3 minutes. Let the cream barely simmer until it lightly coats a spoon; never boil hard or split.
Step 12
Rest and serve
Rest and serve. Use 800 g chicken thighs, 2 apples, 120 ml cooking cream, off the heat, work for 5 minutes. Rest until active bubbling stops and the sauce tightens slightly while the food stays hot.
Common mistakes
- Chicken skin that is not dried cannot become deeply crisp.
- Cooking the apple wedges too long makes them collapse into the sauce.
- Boiling the cream hard causes the Normandy sauce to split.
Tips
Return the apple wedges for only the final three minutes so they stay intact.
After adding cream, use low heat with only tiny bubbles.
