Dutch Christmas Plate: Konijn met Pruimen (Rabbit or Chicken with Prunes, Orange and Ginger)

About This Recipe

Konijn met pruimen, rabbit braised with prunes, is a genuine Dutch holiday dish, especially in the southern provinces, prized for its sweet-savory balance and its place on Christmas tables. This version uses chicken thighs, which are far easier to source than rabbit for most home cooks, while keeping the exact same braising logic and flavor profile that defines the original — prunes, orange and warming spice simmered slowly into a deeply savory-sweet sauce. The chicken is browned first for color and fond, then braised low and slow in a mix of stock, orange juice and zest, with prunes added partway through so they plump without dissolving completely. A generous amount of fresh ginger, along with a cinnamon stick and a couple of cloves, gives the sauce real warmth without tasting like a dessert, and the braising liquid reduces on its own into a glossy sauce that clings to the meat by the time it's done.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 1.5 kgbone-in chicken thighs(or rabbit pieces)
• 2 tbspbutter
• 1 tbspoil
• 1onion(sliced)
• 1.5 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
• 1cinnamon stick
• 2whole cloves
• 1.5 cupschicken stock
• 0.75 cuporange juice(freshly squeezed)
• 1orange(zested)
• 16pitted prunes
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbspparsley(chopped, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   In the same pot, cook the onion 5 minutes until soft, then add the ginger, cinnamon stick and cloves, and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

3. 3

   Deglaze and build the braise

   Pour in the stock and orange juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the orange zest.

4. 4

   Braise the chicken

   Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer gently 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the prunes

   Add the prunes and continue simmering uncovered 15-20 minutes until the chicken is very tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Taste and adjust salt. Scatter with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Variations

• •

  Traditional version: use bone-in rabbit pieces instead of chicken for the authentic holiday dish as served in the southern Netherlands.

• •

  Extra festive: add a splash of port or brandy to the braising liquid for deeper holiday flavor.

• •

  Apple swap: replace half the prunes with dried apples for a lighter, less intensely sweet sauce.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days; the flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently Asked Questions