Cider Braised Turkey & Basmati
1 hour 30 Minutes
American
Serves: 4
A warm, fall-inspired meal that blends elegance with comfort. Bone-in turkey thighs are slow-braised in apple cider, Dijon mustard, and rosemary until tender, then served over fragrant Royal Basmati Rice. The grains soak up the savory-sweet pan sauce beautifully, complemented by crisp fried shallots, sliced apples, and fresh parsley. Made with the unmatched quality and aroma of Royal Basmati Rice, this dish turns a cozy dinner into something truly special.
Ingredients
- Royal Basmati Rice, 2 cups, rinsed
- Turkey thighs, bone-in skin-on, 4 pieces (about 3 lbs)
- Olive oil, 3 Tbsp
- Shallots, 6, thinly sliced
- Garlic cloves, 6, minced
- Fresh rosemary sprigs, 3
- Dijon mustard, ¼ cup
- Apple cider, 2 cups *the beverage, not the vinegar
- Chicken stock, 1 cup
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Honeycrisp Apple, 1, thinly sliced (for garnish)
- Fresh parsley, ¼ cup, chopped
- Neutral oil (canola or vegetable), ½ cup (for frying shallots)
Preparation
- Pat turkey thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the turkey thighs skin-side down until golden brown, about 7–8 minutes. Flip and cook for only 2 minutes more to lightly brown the other side (it will cook further during the braising step). Remove and set aside.
- Add half of the sliced shallots and all of the garlic to the pot. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in Dijon mustard.
- Pour in apple cider and chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits. Add rosemary sprigs. Return turkey to the pot, skin side up. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise on low heat for 40 minutes, until the turkey is very tender.
- While the turkey cooks, cook Royal Basmati Rice according to package directions to yield about 6 cups cooked rice. Keep warm.
- For garnish, heat neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry remaining shallots until golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.
- Remove rosemary sprigs from the braise. Adjust seasoning of sauce with salt and pepper as needed.
- Spread basmati rice in a wide serving dish. Nestle the turkey thighs on top and spoon pan sauce over. Garnish with sliced apple, fried shallots, and freshly chopped parsley.
