If you’re looking for a warm and comforting dinner you can make in one pan, this apple cider chicken recipe is for you! It’s so easy to make on a busy weeknight!
Perfectly seared chicken thighs cooked with apples, shallots, apple cider, and chicken broth, this recipe is beyond flavorful. You’ll love the combination of savory, sweet, and tart flavors that all come together in one dish.
Want a delicious side dish to go with this easy chicken dinner? Try my air fryer twice baked potato recipe, air fryer Greek lemon potatoes recipe, or crispy shallot green beans recipe.
Key Ingredients You Need
- Chicken — I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, so they stay moist and juicy. If you swap for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, the cooking time will decrease.
- Apples — I use Honeycrisp apples, but you can use any variety of apples meant for baking, such as Jonagolds, Granny Smith, Melrose, Braeburn, and Cortland. Avoid using Red Delicious as they will not hold up, and the texture will not be pleasant after cooking.
- Shallot — I love the delicate and sweet flavor of shallots, with only a hint of sharpness. If you do not have shallots, you can swap them for yellow onion.
- Apple cider — Apple cider is raw apple juice that has not gone through a filtration process. Make sure you are using apple cider and not apple cider vinegar, as ¾ cup of ACV tastes too tangy and strong.
- Chicken broth — Feel free to use regular or low-sodium chicken broth.
How to Make Apple Cider Chicken
Step 1: Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Step 2: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Sear the chicken on both sides until nicely browned. Set aside.
Step 3: In the same pan, turn down the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Add the apples, shallots, thyme, and rosemary. Cook until the apples and shallot have softened.
Step 4: Add chicken back into the pan along with the apple cider and chicken broth.
Step 5: Place the top on the pan and cook covered for 5 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F.
Step 6: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Tips For This Recipe
- You can swap one tablespoon of fresh herbs for every one teaspoon of dried herbs if you prefer fresh thyme and rosemary.
- If you use chicken breasts, I recommend getting bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, so they do not dry out. You will have to adjust the cooking time. Just make sure the chicken is cooked to 165°F internally.
- When searing the chicken, place it skin-side down first and let the skin crisp up before flipping. You do not want to flip the chicken too early, or the skin will stick to the pan and tear.
- For the most accurate results, use an instant-read thermometer to check for the doneness of the chicken thighs. If you do not have one, cut into the chicken, close to the bone, and check if the juices run clear and if there’s any pink.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. It’s best to enjoy this apple cider chicken recipe immediately, so I don’t recommend making a large batch with leftovers in mind.
You can reheat the chicken and apples on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of chicken broth to keep the chicken from drying out.
There’s no need to peel the apples beforehand. I recommend giving the apples a good scrub beforehand as the skin stays on. If there’s any discoloration on the apple, cut it off to discard it.
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If you’ve tried this Apple Cider Chicken Recipe, then don’t forget to leave me a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Apple Cider Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs bone-in with skin
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- ½ cup shallots sliced thin
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 medium Honeycrisp apples cut into ½ inch wedges
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- ¾ cup apple cider
- ½ cup chicken broth
- fresh chopped parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Sear the chicken on both sides until nicely browned. Set aside.
- In the same pan, turn down the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp buttter. Add the apples, shallots, thyme and rosemary. Cook until the apples and shallot have softened.
- Add chicken back into the pan along with the apple cider and chicken broth. Place the top on the pan and cook covered for an additional 5 minutes, or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- You can swap one tablespoon of fresh herbs for every one teaspoon of dried herbs if you prefer fresh thyme and rosemary.
- If you use chicken breasts, I recommend getting bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, so they do not dry out. You will have to adjust the cooking time. Just make sure the chicken is cooked to 165°F internally.
- When searing the chicken, place it skin-side down first and let the skin crisp up before flipping. You do not want to flip the chicken too early, or the skin will stick to the pan and tear.
- For the most accurate results, use an instant-read thermometer to check for the doneness of the chicken thighs. If you do not have one, cut into the chicken, close to the bone, and check if the juices run clear and if there’s any pink.
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