Elena Eats - Fruit braised chicken

Braised chicken thighs are soft, and when cooked with fruit have a sweetness and provide familiar flavors.

Child friendly:
- Thighs (dark meat) have more iron, and some good fat
- Meat soft, easy to eat, can cut into pieces or chop fine

Parent friendly:
- Double/Triple/etc the recipe and eat what they are eating

Etc:
- Serve over rice, or with pasta, or other side (cous cous, potatoes, polenta, quinoa)
- Change fruit/juice for the season's offerings, or necessary vitamins/etc (prunes or P fruits for digestion)

Base recipe:
- chicken thighs (I cook ~4 at a time to give her 1-2 and eat 2 myself. I get bored of food so I don't like to cook too much extra at once)
- 1 cup juice
- 1-3 cups stock/broth or water (enough to bring liquid to about 1/2 way up meat)
- 1-2 cups fruit or veggies (fruit can be fresh or dried)
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

In a pot (4-6 qt seems to do well), place fruit/veggies on bottom of pan, place meat on top, add liquids until the liquid reaches about 1/2 way up the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover, lower temperature to maintain very gentle simmer (consider using a diffuser), cook about 30 minutes to be done, cook a bit lower and longer if possible. I imagine a slow cooker could take care of business.

Ideas for juice/fruit combinations:
- Orange juice + dried apricots (and golden raisins)
- Pomegranate juice + dried figs, dried apricots
- Cherry juice + stone fruit
- Pear or apple juice + pears/apples
- Pear or apple juice + pineapple (consider adding ginger or cinnamon)

* Add carrots (peeled or unpeeled, chopped into 1-2 inch long chunks) to the bottom along with fruit. Cut into small bits and serve with the chicken, fruit, and side.
* Can use sweet potatoes in the same way

The "Ro-Tel" recipe also fits easily within this same structure. Use a very mild jar of salsa if you or your child do not prefer spiciness. Instead of using fruit + juice and stock, just use a jar of salsa (my favorite is either La Victoria Medium or a yummy mango salsa). When all cooking is complete, add a cup of (frozen?) peas or so, cook another 2 minutes until peas heated through. Be careful to not cook too long or peas will deflate and become wrinkled and overdone.