Maple and Black Pepper Chicken

Whisk Wednesdays is taking a "Spring Break" this week.
We'll be back next week with Cailles à la Normande (Quail with Cream and Apples).

This week I'm focusing on maple syrup. Now that I've made an appetizer, it's time for a main dish.

Last week, I asked the foodies on Twitter for some of their favorite recipes that use maple syrup. I received several links to recipes and have made some of them. This recipe for maple and black pepper chicken was sent to me by @AndreasRecipes. And just for fun, here are some pretty maple syrup dispensers I found online:

Clockwise from top:
honeycomb-shaped glass dispenser

microwaveable and color    ful dispenser
diner-style dispenser (which is like mine)
microwaveable dispenser

Recipe

from Andrea of Andrea's Recipes who found the recipe in Cooking With Shelburne Farms

Serves 4-6

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, skin and bones intact
(or 3 or 4 chicken breasts, with skin and bones)
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce:
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup cider vinegar
½ cup maple syrup
1½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns, slightly crushed
Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

Pat the chicken dry and season with kosher salt. In a skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Place the chicken pieces in the pan, skin side down, and cook until crispy and lightly golden, about 7-9 minutes. Brown each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place them in a casserole dish. Roast the chicken in the oven uncovered for about 30-35 minutes, until the juices run clear. Temperature should be about 165˚F for the breasts and 175˚F for the thighs and legs.

While the chicken roasts, make the sauce. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings. On medium-high heat, sauté the shallots, thyme and kosher salt for about 1-2 minutes, until the shallots just start to show some color.

Add the cider vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the maple syrup and the crushed peppercorns and reduce the sauce by half, about 8-10 minutes. Season to taste.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Tasting Notes
Boiling vinegar is not a pleasant smell, so while I was making the sauce I wasn't sure I would like the end result. But I was surprised. After it reduced, the sauce mellowed. The sweetness from the maple syrup cut the acidity of the vinegar and the pepper gave it a nice bite. Altogether it was delicious, and I spooned some extra sauce on my piece of chicken.

Other Maple Syrup Chicken Ideas
• Closet Cooking: Maple and Mustard Glazed Chicken
• Noble Pig: Maple and Mustard Glazed Chicken

More About Maple Syrup
• The process from sap to syrup from The District Domestic
• Answers to Commonly Asked Questions and References