Cider Vinegar Chicken over Smashed Red Potatoes

Cider Vinegar Chicken over Smashed Red Potatoes
For the chicken:

• 3 T. Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 4-6 equal-sized pieces
  
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 T. honey
  
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 c. apple cider or juice
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• 1 1/2 t. rosemary

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season the cut chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper. Place in skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. Add onions, honey and more salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the onions are nicely caramelized. Add the chicken back to the skillet.
3. Add cider vinegar, cider or juice, stock and rosemary to the pan. Increase heat and bring to a slow boil. Let simmer until sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

For Smashed Red Potatoes

• 2 1/2 lbs. baby red potatoes
• 1/3 c. butter
• 1 c. milk (plus more if needed for desired consistency)
• 4 T. cream cheese
• 1 T. garlic salt
• 2 t. pepper

1. Boil potatoes for 15 - 20 minutes, until tender. Drain and return to pot. Add butter to the potatoes and mash slightly.
2. Stir in milk, cream cheese, garlic salt and pepper.

**To make ahead and serve at dinnertime: I usually cover the skillet and place the whole thing in the refrigerator. I put the smashed potatoes in a container. To reheat, I just plate the food - a mound of mashed potatoes topped with chicken, onions and sauce - and heat each individual plate in the microwave until warm.

The first few times I made this dish it was delicious but a little too vinegary for our tastes. So I tweaked it and played around with until I hit on just the right combination. Now it is one of the kids favorites. They call it apple juice chicken. Tweaking recipes and scoring a hit with the kids? That definitely works for me!

Find more WFMW at Shannon's blog.