Hearty and comforting Braised Apple Cider Chicken is the ultimate fall dinner! Coming together in just one pan this dish is easy to make and a delicious combination of sweet and savory. Perfect for weeknight dinners or Sunday supper my recipe for Braised Apple Cider Chicken is autumn comfort food at it’s best.
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With a double dose of apple paired with shallots and savory herbs this juicy apple cider chicken is a wonderful dish for fall. Starting on the stove searing chicken thighs skin side down then braising them in a flavorful apple cider pan sauce gives you the best of both worlds, crispy spiced chicken skin as well as moist, tender chicken. For more delicious chicken recipes take alook at my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes and Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground coriander
- Chicken thighs boneless, skin on
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Apples
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh thyme
- Apple cider
- Dijon mustard
Cooking Tips
- I typically use boneless chicken thighs with the skin on but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts if that’s what you have on hand
- For the best texture you want to use a firm apple suitable for cooking like Granny Smith, Fuji or Honeycrisp
- You can use apple juice in place of the cider but it won’t have as pronounced appleflavor
- Feel free to substitute fresh sage for the rosemary or thyme
- If you don’t have shallots you can use 1/2 of a white or yellow onion, finely diced.
How to Make Apple Cider Chicken
With your stove and oven doing most of the work this chicken is easy to make. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stir together the cinnamon, coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and rub the spice mixture over then chicken thighs.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs into the pan skin side down and sear for 7-8 minutes, or until the skin is browned. Transfet the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Place the garlic and shallots to the pan and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the sliced apples, rosemary and thyme (alternately you can use 1-2 rosemary and thyme sprigs instead of chopping the herbs), sauté for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Pour in 1/2 cup apple cider, dijon mustard and the remaining salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Nestle the chicken in the pan over the apples, skin side up. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, ensuring the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F with an instant read thermometer. Remove the skillet from the oven and serve the chicken topped with the apples and pan sauce as desired.
What to Serve with Apple Cider Chicken
The pan sauce for this chicken is incredibly delicious and needs a hearty side dish to mop op every last drop. Serve apple cider chicken with mashed potatoes (like my Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes with Leeks or Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes ), rice, egg noodles or a loaf of crusty sourdough bread.
Storage
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you like this Braised Apple Cider Chicken be sure to take a look at some of my other recipes!
Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Apples
Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms
If you make this Braised Apple Cider Chicken please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a Five Star rating! Be sure to follow me on Youtube, Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe please tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see what you guys are making!
Braised Apple Cider Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet preferably cast iron or other oven safe skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 pound chicken thighs boneless, skin on
- 2 large shallots chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large apples sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Stir together the cinnamon, coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Rub the spice mixture over then chicken thighs.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs into the pan skin side down and cook for 7-8 minute, or until the skin is browned. Transfet the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Place the garlic and shallots to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the sliced apples, rosemary and thyme, saute for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Pour in the apple cider, dijon mustard and the remaining salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Nestle the chicken in the pan over the apples, skin side up. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, ensuring the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Remove the skillet from the oven and serve the chicken topped with the apples and pan sauce as desired.
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Keryn says
I knew my husband and I would love this but my very picky eater youngest son LOVED it too! Super easy and quick recipe. It’s been added to the binder of approved meals for the whole family 🥰
Brianna Simmons says
Hi Keryn, this is the best kind of review! Knowing my recipe passes the kid test is the best kind of feedback.