Medium
4 to 6
Published 2000
La table juive calls this Turkish recipe “chicken with apples, ” but the apricots are an integral part of the dish and an important flavoring for the sauce; thus I have included them in the English title. Although the original recipe calls for marinating the chicken and dried fruits in the same bowl, I think it is better to soak the fruits separately. They don’t need much time to soften, but you might want the chicken to marinate longer, even as long as overnight, to pick up the flavors of the spices and wine. Sometimes dried prunes are added along with the apricots and sometimes only prunes are used. Occasionally, no fresh apples are added! I imagine that this dish could be made with mixed dried fruits, including dried apples, and be delicious as well.
Rinse the chicken pieces and place in a shallow bowl. In a small bowl, stir together about
Place the apricots in another bowl and add the remaining
Warm the oil in a large stew pot or other large pan over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt, and sauté until golden, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and their marinade, the soaked apricots and their soaking liquid, and the apple poaching liquid. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is almost cooked, 25 to 30 minutes. Check the level of the liquid from time to time and add water as needed to prevent the apricots from scorching.
Add the apples and continue to simmer until the chicken and apples are tender, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer to a deep platter, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and serve.
© 2000 Joyce Goldstein. All rights reserved.