Cider Vinegar & Orange Chicken Stew Recipe

My husband and I went to Wendover Nevada over the weekend on the "Fun Bus" for a little gambling.  You would imagine that the "Fun Bus" would be at least a teeny bit fun...but I am here to tell you that it was awesome!!!  We went through Utah Trailways and it made our trip and absolute delight.  On the way out we played Bingo for prizes.  My sister won the big prize of a free round trip Bus ride on another date.  Then they did a raffle where it cost $1 per ticket.  The prize was the money from all the ticket purchases.  Guess who won the big prize...ME!!!  It was around $60 and I was stoked!  I knew it had to be my lucky gambling day.  I was prepared to win the big Jackpot in Wendover.  Sadly my luck ran out as soon as I got off the bus.  I ended up losing my winnings..plus a bit more.  I didn't have any $1 bills so I borrowed the raffle money from my sister and she only had Tooth Fairy money.  Guess that Tooth Fairy money was lucky.

Me and the husband on the rad Fun Bus before we lost our shirts and first born child gambling.

After losing all that money I needed a little comfort and soothing.  Good thing I found this amazingly tasty recipe by my favorite unibrowed chef.  Hugh Acheson!  Don't you just love him.  When I was writing out my shopping list I left out a few important details...for example instead of writing Pearl Onions I just wrote Onions..or instead of saying 4 Oranges I just wrote Oranges and ended up coming home with 2.  Despite my ID10T errors the dish turned out absolutely amazing.  The surprising citrus and mint flavors really make your mouth happy.  Give it a try.  My 4 year old was pulling the chicken off the bones and was desperate for more.  She ate two and a half chickens all by herself! 

You will need Skin on Bone in Chicken Thighs, Chicken Broth, Onion (or you can do the Pearl Onions), Mint, Garlic, Butter, Cider Vinegar, Salt & Pepper, Paprika, Spinach, and Oranges.

Season the Chicken with Salt & Pepper on both sides.

Warm a dutch oven over medium heat and add the Butter and let it melt.

Add the Chicken, starting with the skin down, and brown both sides.  No need to cook fully..there will be plenty of time for that in a minute.

Peel and roughly chop the Onion and Garlic.

Remove the Chicken from the pot and set it aside.

Add the Onions and Garlic into the Pot with the Paprika and cook until the Onions are softened.

Add the Cider Vinegar.

Make sure you scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Pump the heat up to high and bring everything to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer about 7-10 minutes.  Make sure not to skip this step..otherwise the flavor may be way on the vinegary side.  Then add the Broth, back to high heat, and bring to a boil again.

Add the Chicken back into the pot with the skin side up.

Set the heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.  The Chicken should be fully cooked by the end of this step.

When there are about five minutes left cut off the two ends of the Orange with a sharp paring knife.

Using your knife go to the very edge of the peel and slice it off in strips.  This will get rid of all the pith and any membranes.

To section the orange find each section of the orange and cut just inside the lines on both sides to remove all membranes.  Make sure you cut over a bowl and save any juice that comes out.

This is what it will look like when all of the sections are removed.  Oh, but we aren't done with this little beauty yet.  Oh no...

Squeeze out all the Juice.  Don't worry if you get pulp..it adds to the yumminess.

Roughly chop the Mint.

When the Chicken is done cooking add in the Spinach and Mint.

Also add in the Orange sections and the Juice.

Mix everything together really well.

Enjoy!

Cider Vinegar & Orange Chicken Stew Recipe
Source:  Fine Cooking - Hugh Acheson

8 Bone in, skin on Chicken Thighs
4 TBSP Butter
1 Onion Sliced (or 3/4 Lb Pearl Onions, peeled)
6 Garlic cloves thinly sliced
1 1/2 C Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 C Chicken Broth
2 Oranges
4 C Spinach
2 TBSP fresh Mint
Salt & Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika

Warm a Dutch oven or Large pot over medium heat.  Season both sides of the Chicken with Salt & Pepper.

Add the Butter to the dutch oven , and working in two rounds, brown both sides of the Chicken starting with the skin side down.  Move the Chicken out of the pot and set aside.

Add the Onions, Garlic, and Paprika to the pot and cook until the Onions are softened.  About five minutes.  Add the Cider Vinegar and scrape up the yummy browned bits off the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon.  Pump the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 7-10 minutes.  Add the Chicken Broth and pump the heat back to high and bring it to a boil.  Add the Chicken with the skin side up and set the heat to low.  Cover the pot and simmer the Chicken for 30 minutes until it is fully cooked.

When there is about 5 minutes left, slice the peel off the oranges.  Then working over a bowl to catch any juice as you slice the orange in to segments.  Squeeze all juice out of the membranes into the bowl.

When the Chicken is fully cooked add the Spinach, Mint, Oranges, and Juice.  Stir together gently.

Enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget to check out the really easy and mega tasty Roasted Brussel Sprouts I made last year.