Vinegar & Pepper Braised Chicken

There is something bracing about the scent of hot vinegar. It cuts through the rich butter and wakes up the kitchen immediately. This recipe uses that sharp acidity to balance the heat of black and red pepper. It results in a sauce that is thin but incredibly potent.

The beauty of this dish lies in the deglazing. After browning the chicken, we pour vinegar and spices directly into the hot skillet. This lifts all the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, incorporating that deep, savory flavor right into the sauce. It is a simple, warming meal that tastes best when spooned over a bed of steaming white rice to soak up every drop of the tangy broth.

The Recipe

Yields: 4 Servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
• Hot cooked rice for serving

Instructions

1. Brown the Chicken Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Brown them on all sides until golden. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it into an 11x7x1 1/2-inch baking dish. Do not clean the skillet. You want to keep the reserved drippings in the pan.

2. Make the Sauce Keep the skillet on the heat. Add the white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, dry mustard, black pepper, and ground red pepper directly to the reserved drippings. Stir firmly to loosen the browned particles that cling to the bottom of the pan. This fond is where the flavor lives. Pour this hot, tangy mixture evenly over the chicken in the baking dish.

3. Bake Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Cover the baking dish tightly with foil or a lid. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. This allows the sauce to reduce slightly and the chicken to finish cooking.

4. Serve Serve the chicken hot over a bed of fluffy rice. Be sure to spoon plenty of the vinegar and pepper sauce over the rice.

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