by Jesse Wilson

Most New Year’s celebrations include eating two staples — pork and sauerkraut. Everyone usually has a recipe that they eat each year. This year, try something new to ring in the New Year. This old German recipe has been passed down through my family for generations and only slightly altered to make it easier to serve. I just call it “Chicken and Sauerkraut,” but it really is so much more! My great grandmother used to stuff a whole chicken with sauerkraut, surround it with potatoes and onions and cover everything with bacon. We’ve since modified the recipe for convenience and calorie counting. This one is good to keep those New Year’s Resolutions and is very easy on your wallet. It is delicious with a nice Shiraz, or of course, with your favorite Reisling.

Chicken and Sauerkraut
(Printer Friendly Versions: Full page; 3x5

Ingredients:

4 lbs Sauerkraut, drained

6-8 red potatoes, washed and left whole

6-8 small white, or boiling onions, peeled and left whole

1.5 – 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 lbs center cut bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large Dutch oven or roasting pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a bed of sauerkraut. In the center, add the chicken in a single layer and surround it with onions and potatoes, alternately. Cover the entire dish genorously with bacon. Cover and bake for an 1 1/2 hours. Check it to see if the onions are soft and the potatoes are fork tender. Remove the cover and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes until bacon is brown. Let it stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Nutrition Facts:  Serves about 4, serving size: 2 pieces of chicken, 2 potatoes, 2 onions. 3 strips of bacon, and 1½ cup sauerkraut.  Per serving, 500.4 Calories, 36.9g protein, 17.7g fat, 4.5g fiber.