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Vinegar-Braised Chicken and Onions

4.4

(42)

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Vinegar-Braised Chicken and OnionsHirsheimer & Hamilton

For this dish, balsamic vinegar adds the sweetness needed to balance the sharp flavor of red wine vinegar.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds cipolline or pearl onions
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), cut into 1/4" pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
5 pounds skin-on bone-in chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and/or legs; breasts halved crosswise)
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 bay leaves

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook onions in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, 5-8 minutes. Drain and let cool. Trim root ends; peel.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add pancetta to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and pancetta is brown, 8-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a large bowl.

    Step 3

    Add onions to same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer onions and garlic to bowl with pancetta.

    Step 4

    Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add chicken to pot skin side down and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 10-15 minutes per batch; transfer to bowl with onions.

    Step 5

    Carefully drain fat from pot and return to medium-high heat. Add both vinegars to pot and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add broth, raisins, bay leaves, and reserved chicken, pancetta, onions, and garlic to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is fork-tender, 35-40 minutes.

    Step 6

    Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and onions to a large platter. Skim fat from cooking liquid and discard. Remove bay leaves, and season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken and onions.

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