Soy and Cider Braised Chicken

This one-pot dinner from our chef friends at Momofuku Culinary Lab makes use of their savory superpowers of Momofuku Soy Sauce and Savory Seasoned Salt. They balance the tart flavor of the cider, creating an easy but flavorful fall-off-the-bone chicken dinner. Note that you don’t need to heat or oil the pan in advance — the chicken will release fat as the pan heats and by the time it’s appropriately brown, it should easily release from the pan.

2 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

Momofuku Savory Seasoned Salt

5 shallots or 1 medium onion, sliced (about 1 cup)

1 jalapeno, sliced

5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 12-ounce can dry cider

1/2 cup Momofuku Soy Sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1 pound white sweet potatoes

1 lemon, zested and sliced

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Season chicken all over with a generous portion of Momofuku Savory Seasoned Salt (about 1 teaspoon) and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat a large braiser or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken skin side-down while the pan is still cold. Cook for about 12-15 minutes, until the chicken skin easily releases from the pan and the skin is deeply browned. Turn chicken and brown the other side for another 4–5 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the chicken fat. Add sliced shallots, jalapeno, and crushed garlic cloves to the pan. Stir over medium-low heat until shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium, then deglaze the pan with the cider, scraping up all the browned bits. Add soy sauce, chicken broth, and white sweet potatoes. Nestle chicken back within the sweet potatoes and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle half of the lemon zest over the chicken.

Cover and place in preheated oven to braise for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover, and simmer on the stove for about 15 minutes longer, stirring to ensure the bottom isn’t sticking, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Serve with lemon slices.