Belgian Beer Braised Chicken Recipe

Jaques Brel would be proud.

On a brisk night a hot Belgian dish will keep you warm and cozy. That's why I was so excited to use my surprise Christmas gift early. Liv is so wonderful she got me the most perfect gift. All year she's been listening to me gripe about trying all these great European recipes with no help of a Dutch Oven. So of course she got me the exact one I've wanted. I just happened to accidently discover my own unwrapped present a bit early. Oops, I felt terrible but we're all appreciating it and enjoying one of our favorite Belgian dishes. Belgians are famous for their beers and I love this Chicken Braised in Belgian Beer.

Belgian Beer Braised Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

The Belgique now how to cook.

• You can use a whole roasting chicken cut up or 2 lbs of chicken breasts or thighs.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1T vegetable oil
• 1/4 C unsalted butter
• 15 pearl onions or 7 peeled shallots
• 12 large mushrooms quartered
• 1t. sugar
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 lb or 1bag of carrots chunked about 1 inch slices
• 1 1/2 T. flour
• 1 12 oz. bottle of Belgian beer (I've also used Guinness)
• 1/2 C beef broth or veal broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 sprig fresh
• Bouquet : 1 Lg. bay leaf, 3 sprigs of parsley tied together
• 1/2 C heavy whipping cream
• 1 T minced parsley

Directions:

"Cook my pretties!"

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper
2. Heat oil and 1 T butter in dutch oven over med heat. Add chicken pieces and saute until golden brown on both sides and set aside.
3. Add the remaining butter to the Dutch oven over med. heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown. Sprinkle them with sugar. Add garlic and cook for 1 longer. (constantly stirring)
4. Add carrots. Sprinkle the flour and stir into the buttery vegetables. Add beer and broth stirring the mixture together with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken pieces back in, thyme and bouquet.
5. Cover the pan and simmer low heat until the chicken is tender, about 45 min.
6. Discard the bouquet. Remove the chicken and set aside. Reduce the sauce over high heat , about 5 min. Add the cream and reduce further until the sauce is thickened. Taste and add seasoning to adjust. Place chicken back in to coat it with sauce and serve garnished with parsley. This goes great with roasted potatoes or root vegetables.

Perhaps the best Belgian Recipe Yet?