Autumn Chicken and Vegetables
Try this Autumn Chicken and Vegetables recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Autumn Chicken and Vegetables recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3-4 pounds chicken thighs (bone in)
- 1/2 cup apple cider (or juice)
- 1 small butternut squash (cut into 3â„4-inch pieces, 3-4 c
- 1 bulb fennel (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
- 1/4 cup basil leaves (fresh very thinly sliced, optional)
- Carbohydrate 10.11842889874 g
- Cholesterol 38.3333333333333 mg
- Fat 8.95460527838897 g
- Fiber 0.34830556149689 g
- Protein 10.565595834646 g
- Saturated Fat 2.38033583342039 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (83g)
- Sodium 168.958639057464 mg
- Sugar 9.7701233372431 g
- Trans Fat 0.732361666722204 g
- Calories 166 calories
Step-by-step
- Season chicken with salt and pepper; coat lightly with flour. Press Sauté; heat oil in Instant Pot, Add chicken in batches; cook about 8 minutes or until browned on both sides. Remove to plate.
- Stir in cider, broth and thyme; cook 1 minute, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. Return chicken to pot, pressing into liquid.
- Secure lid and move pressure release valve to Sealing position. Press Manual; cook at high pressure 6 minutes. When cooking is complete, press Cancel and use quick release.
- Add squash and fennel to pot. Secure lid and move pressure release valve to Sealing position. Press Manual; cook at high pressure for 3 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, press Cancel and use quick release. Remove chicken and vegetables to platter; cover loosely to keep warm.
- Press Sauté; cook sauce about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened and reduced by one third.
- Serve sauce with chicken and vegetables; sprinkle with walnuts and basil, if desired.
Pressure cooking relies on trapped steam to raise the boiling point of water, forcing heat into dense foods much faster than traditional radiant heat methods can achieve, which means managing the six-minute high pressure window for the meat and the subsequent three-minute window for the squash prevents complete cellular collapse. Fresh butternut squash retains cellular structure and structural rigidity far better than frozen alternatives containing ice crystals that rupture cell walls during thawing, turning starches into mush inside a sealed electric cooker. Browning bone-in thighs first through a Maillard reaction develops savory depth on the exterior, while the flour coating acts as a thickener when later whisked into the reduced cider and broth pan juices.
Achieving distinct textures requires balancing moisture release against evaporation rates during the final five-minute simmer on the saute setting. Dense fennel bulbs soften into tender ribbons under pressure without losing their mild anise aromatics, whereas delicate fresh basil leaves added at the table provide volatile oils that would otherwise degrade instantly under high heat. Toasting the optional walnuts in a dry skillet beforehand releases essential oils that contrast sharply against the soft root vegetables.
