I know it seems crazy to cook chicken in vinegar but somehow it works. You will get flavorful chicken that is tender and moist. The pearl onions are divine! It’s a one-pot, delicious dish so give it a try.
ingredients (serves 6)
2 pounds cipolline or pearl onions
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
5 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and/or legs; breasts halved crosswise)
Freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup red wine vinegar
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup golden raisins
2 bay leaves
directions
Cook onions in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and let cool. Trim root ends; peel.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add pancetta to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and pancetta is brown, 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a large bowl.
Add onions to same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer onions and garlic to bowl with pancetta.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add chicken to pot turning, until browned on all sides, 10-12 minutes per batch; transfer to bowl with onions.
Add both vinegars to pot and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add broth, raisins, bay leaves, and reserved chicken, pancetta, onions, and garlic to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is fork-tender, 35-40 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and onions to a large platter. Remove bay leaves, and season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken and onions.
(Adapted from a recipe found on http://www.bonappetit.com)