Annulla Cooks

Cook the sauce until there is just enough syrupy liquid to coat the chicken breasts.

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

• 2/3 cup chicken broth

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar

• ¼ cup golden raisins

• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted

• 2 teaspoons sugar

1. Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper. Spread flour on a plate and dredge chicken in it, shaking off excess.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot, then cook the chicken breasts for about 8 minutes, until golden, turning once. Lower heat, cover, and cook for an additional 4 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside.

3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then the onion, stirring occasionally until onion is soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and the vinegar, deglazing the pan by scraping up any browned bits, then add the raisins, pine nuts, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 6 minutes, until sauce is syrupy and raisins are plumped.

4. Return the chicken to the skillet and coat with sauce. Remove and place on each of 4 serving plates, spooning onion, raisin, and pine nut mixture over chicken.

Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: about 20 minutes

Not Your Bubbe’s Chicken

The onions in the bottom of the roasting pan will mix with the drippings from the chicken to make a lovely sauce. Stir them occasionally, and if you find them getting very dry, add water a tablespoon at a time.

• 1 3- to 4-pound whole chicken

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon ground cardamom

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1½ teaspoons salt

• 1 lemon

• 3 medium onions, sliced

1. Dry the chicken inside and out. Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs by sliding your fingers underneath it, being careful not to tear it.

2. Combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the cardamom, cinnamon, and pepper in a small dish and spread it evenly in the cavity and under the skin of the breast and thigh. Spread a very thin layer over the outside of the chicken, then sprinkle it with salt. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.

3. Heat oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken dry. Wash and dry the lemon, roll it between your palm and your work surface, then prick it a few times with a fork. Place the lemon in the cavity of the chicken. Spread the onion slices in the bottom of a medium roasting pan. Place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the onions and rub it with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

4. Roast until an instant-read thermometer, placed in the thickest part of the thigh, reads 160ºF (45 minutes to 1 hour), basting occasionally. Let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the lemon from the chicken, cut it in half, and squeeze the juice over the cut-up chicken before serving.

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 8 hours for marinating
Cook time: 45 minutes to 1 hour, plus 10 minutes rest time

Not Your Bubbe’s Chicken