Super Chicken, Apple & Butternut Stew

I rediscovered this recipe when I was sorting through my old Cooking Light magazines and I was thrilled to find it because it will be a perfect fit for my Super Bowl gathering! I love the idea of a yummy chicken stew to go with all the typical party appetizers and I think it will pair perfectly with beer as well.

I also love that I can use Eckert’s cider, homegrown butternut squash and Granny Smith apples to put a local spin on this recipe. Lana and I tested the recipe in our cooking classroom to make sure all the cook times were accurate and they were, so we really didn’t change Cooking Light’s recipe version much. I did switch to chicken breast instead of thighs because our chicken breast is excellent at Eckert’s and knew it would be able to handle the heat without getting tough.

This stew is perfect comfort food for game day or cold winter nights. It is hearty enough to stand on its own or it can be a nice compliment to appetizers when served in mini jam jars or mini bowls. Whichever team you are cheering on this weekend, I hope you will consider this recipe for your game day fixins’!

Eat well this winter,

Angie

Super Chicken, Apple & Butternut Stew
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces
1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
2 Tbs. fresh sage or 1 Tbs. dried sage
1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1 cup peeled and diced parsnip
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup Eckert’s apple cider
1 ½ cup chicken stock
2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples

Sprinkle chicken with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Heat 4 quart Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of chicken to pan; saute 6 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.

 Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add onion, sage and ginger; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add squash and parsnip; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle vegetables with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in cider and stock, scraping pan to loose browned bits. Stir in chicken, remaining ¾ teaspoon pepper; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer 25 minutes. Stir in apple; cook 5 minutes. Serves 6.

 Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine November 2015