Ingredients
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 pounds baby potatoes, halved
2 crisp apples (like Honeycrisp), cored and cubed
1/3 cups bourbon
1/3 cups Plew Farm maple syrup
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions:
Season and sear chicken: Season boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the chicken in batches until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Sauté aromatics: In the same pot, add onion, diced and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic cloves, minced and cook 1 minute more.
Deglaze with bourbon: Pour in bourbon and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer to cook off the sharp alcohol edge.
Build the stew: Return the chicken to the pot along with carrots, celery stalks, baby potatoes, apples, maple syrup, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Thicken the stew: Whisk together cornstarch and water to form a slurry. Stir it into the stew and simmer uncovered until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving.