Vinegar Braised Chicken with Pedro Ximénez Sherry Sauce
Vinegar Braised Chicken with Pedro Ximénez Sherry Sauce is the kind of dish you make when you want to impress. The chicken is simmered in a rich caramelized onion sauce and gently reduced with a stock of vinegar and a generous glug of the deliciously sweet Pedro Ximénez Sherry. The sauce is nothing short of sensational and is dense with lots of sweet, umami flavor.
After an hour of gentle simmering in the sauce, the chicken will literally fall off the bone and is best when served on a bed of creamy mashed potato. This is a recipe for 2, but it can easily be scaled up to suit larger parties.
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Serving:
Main for 2
Ready in:
1 hour, 10 minutes
Skill level:
Easy
Serve with:
Creamy mash potatoes
Watch step-by-step recipe video
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How to cook Vinegar Braised Chicken with Pedro Ximénez Sherry Sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 chicken quarters (skin on)
- 2 red onions, cut into thin strips or rounds
- 3 garlic cloves, cracked (left whole)
- ⅔ cup Pedro Ximénez Sherry (or a sweet sherry)
- ¼ cup Jerez Sherry Vinegar
- ½ orange (cut into thin rounds)
- ½ cup chicken stock (we used Organic Free Range Chicken Low Sodium Broth)
- Bundle of Fresh Thyme (plus more for garnish)
- Sea Salt and pepper to taste
For the mash (optional)
- 4 large potatoes (Yukon Gold or similar)
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅓ cup heavy cream or milk
Equipment
Instructions
Step 1 – Caramelize the onions
- Finely Slice 2 red onions and add them to a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil (or butter if you prefer). Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onion softens, then add the ½ cup vinegar and ¼ cup of the chicken stock.
- Sprinkle a tablespoon of granulated sugar over the top of the onions, do not stir through, instead gently pat down the onion so it is evenly distributed around the pan.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer and slowly reduce the vinegar and stock until it has evaporated (around 20-25 minutes). Be careful not to use high heat for this step as the onion will burn and won’t caramelize with the sugar and vinegar. The slower the better.
Step 2 – Add aromatics, sherry, and chicken
- Add the seasoned chicken pieces to the onions. Top up with a cup of chicken stock and the Pedro Ximenez sherry (or any sweet sherry). Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, the cracked whole garlic cloves, 2-3 orange rounds, and season to taste.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Be sure to check liquid levels, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, then rotate chicken pieces and continue to simmer for another 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is soft and falling off the bone.
- Add more stock if the pan starts to dry out.
Step 3 – Serve
- Serve straight from the pan with lots of fresh bread to mop up the delicious sauce. Alternatively, serve over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
Cooking tips and FAQs:
What Sherry to use
We used Pedro Ximénez Sherry. It is a famed sherry brand here in Spain, renowned for its delicate yet sweet flavor. It is an absolute delight to cook with, especially when you want to caramelize flavors. If you can’t source Pedro Ximénez Sherry, any good quality sweet sherry will also work.
Simmer slow and low
This is a fantastic recipe to make on weekends or when you have lots of time. At a push, you could make it in an hour, but in all honesty, you’ll get better results if you give it longer and allow the onions to fully caramelize.
Giving the chicken an hour to slowly simmer and braise in the sauce works just fine, but if you want a thicker, richer flavor and deliciously juicy chicken that falls off the bone, cook it longer (we suggest around 2 hours on very low heat).
Chicken cuts to use
We used large chicken quarters (one per serving). Any bone-in chicken cut will work well for this recipe (thighs, drumsticks). Braising is a cooking process that suits darker chicken meat that’s attached to the bone. With the slow cooking of the meat, the meat releases from the bone, resulting in a rich flavorful chicken meat that’s just so juicy and tender.
How to know when the chicken is cooked through?
The easiest way to ensure your chicken is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken has reached 74°C /165°F.
More Spanish Stew Recipes:
- Spanish Pork Stew – Carcamusas
- Catalan Style Beef Stew (Estofado a la Catalana)
- Spicy Spanish-Style Pork Stew
- Spanish-Style White Bean Stew
- Maravilla fish stew with chickpeas and pearl pasta
- Brothy Fish Stew with Shrimp, Rice, and Pesto Paste
- What is Cantabrian Bean Stew (Alubias de Cantabria)
- One-Pot Sweet Potato Stew with Chickpeas and Spinach
- Vegan Butter Bean Stew with a Rich Spanish-Style Sofrito Sauce
Nutrition Facts
|
Servings: 2 |
|
|
Amount per serving |
|
|
Calories |
427 |
|
% Daily Value* |
|
|
Total Fat 18.6g |
24% |
|
Saturated Fat 3.2g |
16% |
|
Cholesterol 108mg |
36% |
|
Sodium 520mg |
23% |
|
Total Carbohydrate 16.6g |
6% |
|
Dietary Fiber 3.4g |
12% |
|
Total Sugars 8.1g |
|
|
Protein 42.6g |
|
|
Vitamin D 0mcg |
0% |
|
Calcium 80mg |
6% |
|
Iron 2mg |
13% |
|
Potassium 529mg |
11% |
|
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
|
Vinegar Braised Chicken with Pedro Ximénez Sherry Sauce
Equipment
- 12 inch cast iron skillet with lid
- Wooden cutting board
- Chef knife
- Cooking Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 chicken quarters skin on
- 2 red onions cut into thin strips or rounds
- 3 garlic cloves cracked (left whole)
- ⅔ cup Pedro Ximénez Sherry or a sweet sherry
- ¼ cup Jerez Sherry Vinegar
- ½ orange cut into thin rounds
- ½ cup chicken stock we used Organic Free Range Chicken Low Sodium Broth
- Bundle of Fresh Thyme plus more for garnish
- Sea Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1 - Caramelize the onions
- Finely Slice 2 red onions and add them to a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil (or butter if you prefer). Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onion softens, then add the ½ cup vinegar and ¼ cup of the chicken stock.2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil, 2 red onions, ¼ cup Jerez Sherry Vinegar, ½ cup chicken stock
- Sprinkle a tablespoon of granulated sugar over the top of the onions (optional), do not stir through, instead gently pat down the onion so it is evenly distributed around the pan.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer and slowly reduce the vinegar and stock until it has evaporated (around 20-25 minutes). Be careful not to use high heat for this step as the onion will burn and won’t caramelize with the sugar and vinegar. The slower the better.
Step 2 - Add aromatics, sherry, and chicken
- Add the seasoned chicken pieces to the onions. Top up with a cup of chicken stock and the Pedro Ximenez sherry (or any sweet sherry). Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, the cracked whole garlic cloves, 2-3 orange rounds, and season to taste.2 chicken quarters, 3 garlic cloves, ⅔ cup Pedro Ximénez Sherry, ½ orange, Bundle of Fresh Thyme, Sea Salt and pepper to taste
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Be sure to check liquid levels, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, then rotate chicken pieces and continue to simmer for another 20-30 minutes or until the chicken is soft and falling off the bone.
- Add more stock if the pan starts to dry out.
Step 3 - Serve
- Serve straight from the pan with lots of fresh bread to mop up the delicious sauce. Alternatively, serve over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
Video
Notes
Cooking tips and FAQs:
What Sherry to use We used Pedro Ximénez Sherry. It is a famed sherry brand here in Spain, renowned for its delicate yet sweet flavor. It is an absolute delight to cook with, especially when you want to caramelize flavors. If you can’t source Pedro Ximénez Sherry, any good quality sweet sherry will also work. Simmer slow and low This is a fantastic recipe to make on weekends or when you have lots of time. At a push, you could make it in an hour, but in all honesty, you’ll get better results if you give it longer and allow the onions to fully caramelize. Giving the chicken an hour to slowly simmer and braise in the sauce works just fine, but if you want a thicker, richer flavor and deliciously juicy chicken that falls off the bone, cook it longer (we suggest around 2 hours on very low heat). Chicken cuts to use We used large chicken quarters (one per serving). Any bone-in chicken cut will work well for this recipe (thighs, drumsticks). Braising is a cooking process that suits darker chicken meat that’s attached to the bone. With the slow cooking of the meat, the meat releases from the bone, resulting in a rich flavorful chicken meat that’s just so juicy and tender. How to know when the chicken is cooked through? The easiest way to ensure your chicken is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken has reached 74°C /165°F.
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YUMMMMMM!!!!!
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