Braised Chicken with White Wine and Apricots

Braised Chicken with White Wine and Apricots

Even though its so hot outside I have been craving braised chicken. Considering the heat has also been killing my appetite, I was glad to actually have something in mind that I wanted to eat. I work outside all day in the vineyard so at the end of the day I'm usually 1) too tired to put a lot of effort into dinner and 2) too hot to want to eat a lot. I wanted some chicken cooked in white wine, however, so I summoned the energy to prepare it. I kept this braised chicken light and summery by the addition of dried apricots and some fresh spices like coriander and cumin, which gave the chicken a Moroccan tajine sort of flavor, so I served it with couscous. Plus to chop up all the apricots, onion, and garlic I just used a mini chopper which is even more simple.

For the wine in this dish, choose a dry white wine. Good ones would be sauvignon blanc (which is what I used) or chardonnay. Sauvignon blanc is probably my favorite white wine, and it's characteristic citrus flavors really shine through in the final product. Just be sure to choose a wine that is worthy of drinking. If it tastes bad in the glass, it will really taste bad once reduced in the sauce.

Braised Chicken with White Wine and Apricots

1. Chop the onion, garlic, and apricots in a mini food processor.

2. Heat half of oil in Dutch oven. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika and sear on both sides; remove to a plate. Drain excess rendered fat from pan and place back on burner.

3. Add remaining oil, then add apricot mixture and saute until onions are translucent. Add wine, broth, coriander, cumin, and some salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and return the chicken to the pan, covering with the sauce.

4. Cook chicken, partially covered, 20 min. Remove lid and allow sauce to evaporate and thicken for 5 more minutes. Serve with couscous and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Servings per recipe: 4

Per serving:

Calories: 307

Fat: 12.9 g

Saturated fat: 3.3 g

Cholesterol: 1.9 mg

Sodium: 404.5 mg

Carbohydrates: 3.4 g

Fiber: 0.7 g

Sugar: 0.4 g

Protein: 23 g