Weightwatchers dish. Really tasty, kids love it too.
- 1 onion chopped
- seasoning
- 450 grams skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 225 grams carrots sliced
- 350 grams potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 sticks (optional)
- 1 tbs wholegrain mustard (optional)
- 225 grams cooking apple cored, peeled and diced (optional)
- 25 grams pearl barley (optional)
- 150 medium dry cider
- 300 ml good chicken stock
- 2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- Carbohydrate 39.8205702022657 g
- Cholesterol 67.3805377071356 mg
- Fat 3.08317758300679 g
- Fiber 7.1806251190368 g
- Protein 31.4820141741601 g
- Saturated Fat 0.758998784672944 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (422g)
- Sodium 261.461880749973 mg
- Sugar 32.6399450832289 g
- Trans Fat 0.626542555806683 g
- Calories 311 calories
Step-by-step
- Stir fry chicken until sealed.
- Add the onion and other vegetables, cook off for a couple of minutes.
- Add the mustard, cooking apple pearl barley and cider. Boil rapidly for a few minuets to burn off the alcohol then add the stock.
- Season to taste, add the thyme, simmer for an hour (until the barley is tender)
Managing the Alcohol and Aromatics
Pouring dry cider straight onto chicken without a rapid boil leaves a harsh, raw ethanol taste in the sauce. Boil the liquid aggressively for three full minutes before adding the chicken stock to flash off the volatile compounds. Dice the cooking apples evenly to one-half inch so they break down completely into the broth instead of floating as hard, tart chunks.
Controlling Chicken and Barley Timings
Cubes of chicken breast cooked for a full hour will dry out completely. Seal the meat quickly in a hot pan, remove it, and return it to the pot only during the final fifteen minutes of simmering. Pearl barley requires a minimum of forty-five minutes at a gentle simmer to soften properly. Add the barley with the stock and test a grain between your fingers before adjusting the heat.
Testing Doneness Visually
Avoid relying on kitchen timers alone. The starch released from the potatoes and the softening barley will naturally thicken the liquids into a glossy, coating consistency. Look for the liquid to reduce by roughly one-third and coat the back of a spoon cleanly.
