First the credits. The photo is by EJ Armstrong from the cookbook Bacon 24/Seven by Theresa Gilliam. The photo is a work of art. The chicken is something you are simply going to adore. One bite at a time. It’s ideal for a cool spring night or early fall dinner when frost threatens. Offer mashed potatoes on the side and you have a complete meal.
Theresa is a foodie with a sense of imagination and creativity. She is from Seattle and in the Northwest apples abound. Just as they do in Normandy. The clouds pour in from the Pacific and shed water as they try to clear the Cascades. The meadows before the mountains yield dairy products that also rival the richness of Normandy. It seems then only natural that a Norman classic should be given this intense Seattle treatment.
Do search out a copy of Bacon 24/Seven. It’s a sophisticated and dedicated testimony to the power of a meat product that deserves just a little more respect and attention. To see my review of the book, just click this link!
Chicken Normandy, of Sorts
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 skin-on, boneless chicken breasts
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions (about half a small onion)
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 1 cup apple cider
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 large crisp red apple, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Preparation:
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels, reserving rendered bacon fat in the skillet. Season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken with flour, shaking to remove the excess. Cook the chicken in the reserved bacon fat over medium heat until it is golden brown and nearly cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep it warm while you prepare the sauce.
Cook the onions in the skillet until they are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the sherry and simmer to reduce it slightly. Add the cider and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the apples, thyme, and cooked bacon to the sauce and stir to combine. Stir in the cream and add the chicken breasts with any juices that may have collected to the skillet. Simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, about 5 additional minutes.
Serve hot.
Source: Bacon 24/Seven by Theresa Gilliam [Countryman Press, 2013]