Beer Braised Garlicky Chicken or Pork Chops with Onions

Step 1: Chicken or Pork ... Bring the chicken or pork to room temperature. In a small pan or pie plate, mix the flour with the cayenne, salt and pepper and dredge the chicken or pork in the flour mixture - and make sure to shake off any excess.

Step 2: Saute ... Add the olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan (about 1/8-1/4 cup) and bring to medium high heat. Saute on each side until golden brown (5 minutes). Once the chicken or pork is brown, reduce the heat to medium, and add in the onions and garlic and cook a couple of minutes to combine all the flavors.

Step 3: Sauce ... Deglaze the pan with the beer scraping up all the bits. Then add the chicken broth, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and season with a little salt and pepper (you can always add more later). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer about 20-40 minutes until the chicken is falling apart tender. This depends on the cut of the chicken or the pork. Obviously, thighs and drumsticks will cook much quicker than bone in breasts or thick pork chops, so just check them after 20 minutes to see how they are doing. The longer they cook, the more tender they are.

Step 4: Finish ... Remove the meat to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Also, remove the thyme sprigs, bay leaf. Then, bring the sauce up to medium high heat for 3-4 minutes uncovered to reduce a bit. If you prefer the sauce a bit thicker, you can make a slurry with corn starch and water and add it to the sauce to thicken - but, I don't think it is necessary. Add in the parsley, and again check to see if any additional salt and pepper is needed.

Step 5: Serve ... My favorite - is best served over, either mashed potatoes or a thick sliced of grilled bread; but rice or butter noodles are good too. Add a salad or sauteed spinach on the side for a great dinner. ENJOY!