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1 cup good-quality hard apple cider

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves

½ cup Crème Fraîche (recipe follows; or use store-bought)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter with the oil in a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just bubbling. Add half the chicken pieces, skin sides down; cook, turning once, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken pieces to a plate; set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces; add to plate. Remove pot from heat; let cool slightly.

2. Return pot to medium-low heat, and add leeks. Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks begin to soften and are pale golden, about 3 minutes. Add hard cider and thyme. Move leeks to edges of pot, and add all the chicken pieces to pot, skin sides down. Arrange leeks over chicken. Cover, and cook 15 minutes (if liquid is bubbling rapidly, reduce heat to low). Turn chicken pieces, and cook until breasts are cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

3. Transfer chicken breasts to a plate, and cover to keep warm. Adjust leeks so they are submerged in liquid. Cook, uncovered, until the remaining chicken pieces are tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer all of the chicken to a warm serving platter. Remove leeks from pot, and arrange the leeks around chicken. Cover with foil, and set aside. Return pot to medium heat. Cook, uncovered, until liquid has reduced by about half (to a scant 2/3 cup), 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in the crème fraîche and parsley. Ladle pan sauce over chicken and leeks. Serve immediately.

crème fraîche

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

Leftover crème fraîche makes a delicious accompaniment to fruit desserts.

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk

Stir together cream and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature, partially covered, until thick, about 12 hours. Stir; cover, and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.

lemon-thyme chicken paillards

SERVES 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3 pounds total)

6 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise

3 lemons, 2 halved crosswise, 1 cut into wedges

6 sprigs fresh thyme

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Arugula Salad (recipe follows)

1. Lay a chicken breast on parchment paper. Starting on 1 long side, cut horizontally into breast but not completely through. Open cut breast like a book. Top with another sheet of parchment. Flatten to an even thickness, about 1/3 inch thick. Repeat with remaining breasts.

2. Rub both sides of each breast with garlic; transfer chicken and garlic to a large resealable plastic bag. Squeeze 2 lemon halves over chicken; add rinds to bag. Thinly slice remaining lemon halves crosswise. Top each breast with a lemon slice and thyme sprig; season with pepper. Drizzle chicken with oil. Marinate in the refrigerator, flipping occasionally, at least 2 hours (up to overnight).

3. Preheat a grill or grill pan to high. Discard marinade, lemon, and thyme. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill, flipping once, until cooked through, 2 minutes per side. Serve chicken warm, at room temperature, or cold. Top each breast with salad, dividing evenly; serve with lemon wedges.

arugula salad

SERVES 6

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Pinch of freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 bunches baby arugula (about 6 cups)

1 head radicchio, torn into pieces (about 3 cups)

2 cups mâche (about 1 ounce) or 2 endives, leaves separated

1 cup grape tomatoes, thinly sliced

1. Whisk lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly until emulsified

2. To serve, toss arugula, radicchio, mâche, and tomatoes in a large, chilled bowl with just enough dressing to lightly coat.

barbecued chicken wings

SERVES 12

You can bake the chicken wings a day ahead