Vinegar Braised Chicken and Onions

Hearty and winter warming!

Ingredients

• 900g eschalots
• salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 225g pancetta, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2.25kg skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces (thighs/legs)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup Lirah Garlic Caramelised Balsamic
• 3/4 cup Lirah Grand Reserve Cabernet Vinegar
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 bay leaves

Method 

1. Cook eschalots in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, approx. 5-8 minutes. Drain and let cool. Trim and peel.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and pancetta is brown, approx. 8-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a large bowl.
3. Add eschalots to same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, approx. 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, approx. 3 minutes. Transfer onions and garlic to bowl with pancetta.
4. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add chicken to pot skin side down and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, approx.10-15 minutes per batch. Transfer to bowl with onions.
5. Drain fat from pot and return to medium-high heat. Add both Lirah vinegars and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from bottom. Add stock, raisins, bay leaves, chicken, pancetta, eschalots, and garlic to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is fork-tender, approx. 35-40 minutes.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and eschalots to a large platter. Skim fat from cooking liquid and discard. Remove bay leaves, and season sauce with salt and pepper then spoon over chicken and eschalots.
7. Serve with steamed greens and crusty bread. Enjoy!