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France is home to some of the most unique and meticulously designed dishes in the world. While most will have heard of classic dishes such as French Ratatouille (Remy’s signature dish), it’s arguable that the country shines the most when looking at its many chicken-centric dishes that are unlike any others. A great example of these remarkable dishes is none other than poulet au cidre, which literally translates to chicken in cider and is among the most interesting French meals that you need to give a try.
Poulet au cidre is a dish native to the Brittany region of France and is believed to have been consumed on special occasions by peasants centuries ago. However, it has since made its way to dinner tables across the country and beyond in the years since. The dish itself utilizes hard apple cider, which is made from different types of apples to achieve its strong flavor depth, to cook the chicken alongside ingredients like onions and cubed apple pieces. The former lends a stronger savory taste, while the latter reinforces its underlying sweetness. The cider that remains once the chicken is done can also be used to create a sauce to top the dish, giving it a more textured finish and an even richer taste.
What goes best with the apple and chicken combination in poulet au cidre?
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Apple and chicken are one of those flavor pairings that work much better than most would expect, with the two being used alongside one another in a handful of other recipes. Among these additional recipes is hard apple cider-glazed chicken kale salad, a dish that, similar to poulet au cidre, specifically uses hard apple cider to get the flavor of the chicken just right and give it a strong, one-of-a-kind taste.
Now, one of the great things about chicken in cider is that it’s one of the few French dishes that skip aesthetics and focus solely on flavor. While this does result in a dish that won’t always look particularly appetizing, it also means you can add ingredients big and small to it with a sole focus on how it tastes and not how it will end up looking. Some recipes include things like bacon and mushrooms, amping up the meal’s savory quality immensely and contrasting the more central flavors quite nicely. Alternatively, if you want your chicken to be even more boozy and rich, adding some cognac as you begin cooking can really level up the dish. As for side dishes, veggies and mashed potatoes are likely the best options for the job, but cooking up some rice to lay your creamy chicken-based dish beside or on top of can be a great choice, as well.
Dining and Cooking