Ingredients
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2 medium granny smith apples
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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4 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1/2 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
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1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
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1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
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1/3 cup calvados
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1 1/2 cups hard alcoholic cider
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1/3 cup creme fraiche
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salt and pepper
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3 1/2 lbs frying chicken, cut into 8 pieces (split breast and discard back pieces, or use for stock)
Instructions
- Peel and core apples. Finely chop half of one apple and cut the rest into 12 wedges. Toss the apple in lemon juice.
- Heat half the butter in large frying pan. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until golden. Turn chicken over and cook another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and pour off fat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in the same pan and add onion, celery and chopped apple. Fry over moderate heat for 5 minutes without browning.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle flour into mixture and stir. Add Calvados and return to heat. Gradually stir in cider. Bring to a boil, return chicken to pan, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Heat remaining butter in small frying pan. Add apple wedges and fry over moderate heat until browned and tender. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the pan to a platter and keep warm. Skim excess fat from cooking liquid. Add creme fraiche, bring just to a boil and simmer 4 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve with warm apple wedges.