Braised Chicken Thighs with Apples and Sage

We are knee-deep in our last dance team season, so things have been hectic. I've been cooking plenty, but haven't had time to keep track of much.

I prepare a lot of chicken dishes b/c of our diet. A lot. So I try to vary the way I present it. Cooking camouflage, if you will.

I don't often make chicken thighs because of the unhealthy dark meat stigma attached to them, plus the few times I've made them, I overcooked them and they were gross. I seem to be getting the hang of them, though.

Browning meat is something of a challenge for me. I'm much better at it, now that I turn the flame up on the stove and truly heat the oil enough to sear the surface. I couldn't figure out why meat continually stuck to my stainless steel pans. I cooked with Teflon for years b/c I couldn't master stainless steel cooking. But Teflon has its own death sentence attached to it. Given our healthier lifestyle, I'm pushing myself to cook more with stainless.

I'm progressing nicely, but holy cats - the mess! I can't sear meat without speckling my stovetop with olive oil measles. I've tried using a grease shield, but I might as well use a tissue. The mess is slightly less gigantic and hardly worth the effort since every time I remove the shield to check the meat, oil slides right off the shield onto the counter top and floor. I'm using a silicone type shield with very small grips on either side. I'm starting to wonder if the old-fashioned wire screen with the wooden handle wouldn't work better. Do they sell them anymore?

Here is one of my easier meals. I adapted it from Braised Chicken Thighs with Apples and Sage online at Epicurious via Yummly. I believe the recipe originated in Gourmet Magazine, but where they got it, I've no idea. The trail runs cold from there. It is delicious over Baked Brown Rice.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Apples and Sage

9-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (2 Costco thigh packages)
1-2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 T soy-free Earth Balance
1 T coconut palm sugar
2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges (16/apple)
1/2 C yellow onion or shallots
1 C chicken broth
1 t apple cider vinegar
5 fresh sage leaves, chopped

Pat chicken dry (important for stainless steel cooking) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a pan to almost smoking and brown chicken in batches (four to five at a time) until brown, about four to five minutes per side.

Set chicken aside in a covered dish (like Corningware). Add Earth Balance, palm sugar, apples, and onions to pan and brown the apples about five minutes.

Add broth, vinegar, and sage. Deglaze the pan, stir up the brown bits, and boil for about a minute. Return chicken to the pan. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer about twenty minutes.