North Country Braised Chicken

From EatingWell: September/October 1995 — Subscribe Now!

Homey, hearty and flavorful, this chicken stew sings with apple cider, rutabaga and pears. Have a loaf of crusty bread to sop up the juices and serve with Orange & Black Olive Salad.

8 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
8 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup apple cider
1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-by-2-inch julienne (about 8 cups)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 firm ripe pears, such as Anjou, Bosc or Comice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

Preparation

Place flour on a plate and dredge chicken breasts to coat well on all sides, shaking off excess. (Reserve unused flour.)
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate, lightly season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan and brown the remaining chicken; lightly season with salt and pepper and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and add onions. Stir until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved flour and stir 1 minute more. Gradually add apple cider and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add rutabaga and broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until the rutabaga is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel and core pears; cut into 1/2-inch dice. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in lemon juice and thyme. Add to the cooked rutabaga and season with salt and pepper. Lay the reserved chicken on top and cover the pan. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the pears are tender, 5 to 6 minutes more.

Nutrition

Per serving: 268 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 6 g fiber; 129 mg sodium; 672 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (57% daily value), Selenium (32% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 3 very lean meat