Elevated Russian Chicken Recipe

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Russian chicken isn't actually an Eastern European dish like Olivier salad, kvass, or pirozhki, but is instead a retro recipe named for the fact that it includes Russian dressing (which is similar to, but not the same as, Thousand Island). Here we're not using the bottled kind, though, but elevating the recipe by making it from scratch and adding wine and brandy to the sauce. The apricot jam is true to the original, but the addition of dried apricots makes the dish feel fancier. Recipe developer Patterson Watkins says Russian chicken is sort of like an "oven-baked twist on sweet and sour chicken." When talking specifically about her elevated Russian chicken recipe, she says, "It is a palate pleasing combination [with] total tongue involvement. The sweeter elements [such as] apricots and brandy soothe the tangy, zestier ingredients [like] vinegar and horseradish with this nice savory finish from the butter, garlic, onions, and seared chicken brown bits and drippings."

This is an excellent make-ahead recipe since, as Watkins assures us, the leftovers are excellent. To avoid soggy second-day skin, you can simply shred the meat, reheat it in the sauce, and serve it over rice or noodles. You could turn the skin into chicken chicharonnes by baking it in the oven at low heat, or you can simply shred it up with the rest of the meat and spoon plenty of sauce on top.

This recipe involves a whole chicken cooked in a sauce made with butter, garlic, onion, red wine, brandy, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, beef broth, apricot jam, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, and paprika. You'll also need salt and olive oil for cooking as well as dried apricots, dill, and parsley for garnishing.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and tuck the wings behind the breasts (for better searing).

Season the chicken with salt.

Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the chicken halves, skin side-down, and sear for 5 to 8 minutes or until the skin is golden and crisp.

Flip the chicken and sear for 3 minutes on the other side.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the skillet.

Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and onion to the skillet and saute for 2 minutes.

Deglaze the skillet with the wine and cognac, whisk to combine, and bring to a simmer.

Cook, whisking occasionally, until the wine and cognac have almost completely evaporated.

Add the tomato paste, vinegar, broth, jam, Worcestershire, horseradish, and paprika to the skillet, and whisk to combine.

Once the sauce is simmering, add the apricots, and stir to combine.

Return the chicken halves to the skillet, skin side-up, nestling into the sauce.

Cover the skillet with foil and place in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil, and return to the oven for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet, and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Whisk or stir the sauce to incorporate the chicken drippings.

To serve, place the chicken on a serving platter, and top with the sauce and apricots.

Garnish with fresh dill and parsley and serve the Russian chicken.

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The reason for using a halved whole chicken here is that you get all the bones and all the skin, with the former providing meaty depth and the latter giving the sauce a smooth, silky finish that only fat can provide. If you can find a chicken that's already been cut in half, you're good to go. A spatchcocked chicken is also an option, although in this case, you'll need to take your trusty kitchen shears and snip out the spine.

When starting with a whole chicken, however, you will first need to cut the chicken in half along the breast bone, again using those kitchen shears. Once this is done, turn the bird over and use the shears to remove the backbone. Press the chicken down with your hands, or weigh it down with a heavy pan to flatten it (you should hear a crunch sound), and voila — you've just spatchcocked your own chicken. This prep trick guarantees crispy skin since it's all on top and exposed to the heat instead of being hidden underneath. 

If you don't want to deal with cutting up a whole chicken, you can always use one that's already been cut into parts. Another option is to use only bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, thighs, or leg quarters, which is a great choice if you and anyone you may be sharing this chicken dish with share a preference for either light or dark meat. Even turkey breasts can work in this recipe. If you're starting with a whole bone-in turkey breast, cut it in half and then sear and braise it the same way you would chicken. Depending on the size of the pieces you use, the cooking time may need to be reduced by a few minutes. (Use a meat thermometer to test the poultry, and stop cooking when it reaches an interior temperature of 165 F.)

You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. In this case, don't cook the meat in the oven. Instead, sear it, then remove it from the pan, and make the sauce. Put the meat back in the sauce and simmer it until it's cooked through. For larger chicken pieces, cover the pan for the first 10 minutes. A boneless turkey breast also works in this recipe, although it can be oven-braised in the same way as a bone-in one. It may be done sooner, however, so once again you'll need that meat thermometer.

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