Braised Chicken Thighs with Sauerkraut and Apple

Juicy, tender chicken thighs are braised in tangy, gut-healthy sauerkraut (homemade if possbile), smoky bacon, sour apple and sweet, mellow onion, piney, earthy juniper berries for a hearty, classic one-pot meal. If you cannot find juniper berries, use a tablespoon or two of gin or fresh rosemary, esp. if you are looking for herbal, piney flavour.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Sauerkraut and Apple

adapted from Food&Wine


100 g Bacon, cut into batons 6-8 Medium chicken thighs Sea salt Freshly milled black pepper 1 Large onion, peeled and chopped 1 Organic tart apple, cored and chopped 500 g Drained and rinsed sauerkraut 200 ml Chicken stock 1 tsp Dijon mustard 10 Juniper berries, lightly crushed 1 Bay leaf 1 tbsp Chopped parsley

In a large deep frying pan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
Season the chicken thighs with the salt and the pepper and add to the pan in batches if necessary. Cook, turning, until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
Add the onion and apple to the pan. Cook over moderate heat, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the sauerkraut, bacon, broth, the mustard, juniper berries, and bay leaf. Arrange the chicken in an even layer on top. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook, covered, until the chicken is just done, about 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

3 comments:

Rose world 21/8/26 12:36: My favourite part of chicken is the thigh. Your braised thigh is delicious and beautiful.
Tom 21/8/26 12:56: ...a wonderful taste of fall.
Pattie Tierney 21/8/26 14:33: This looks delicious, and I happen to have sauerkraut in my refrigerator, believe it or not. I don’t have the juniper berries, but I’m hoping I can make this without them. Yes, I know the flavor won’t be exactly the same, but undoubtedly it will still be good. Have a great weekend!