If you love apple cider and are looking for a quick and easy dish during the fall, this apple cider chicken might fit the bill. You can never go wrong with a recipe that can be completed in under 30 minutes.
There are just so many ways to cook chicken - from chicken Francesce to chicken with white wine sauce to chicken bhuna.
I have to admit I've never been a huge apple juice fan. I can't really give a great reason, but apple cider on the other hand, I can drink that by the gallon. So while we're in peak apple season here in Maryland, I'm looking not only for any excuse to drink apple cider, but cook with it as well!
Shoot I love cider so much, I used it for our signature drink when my wife and I got married! If you haven't tried that drink by the way, drop what you're doing and make it now!
But back to this apple cider chicken. It's one of those quick and easy dishes that can be made in under 30 minutes which I'm all about. I know a ton of people think chicken is bland, but I always use this to my advantage.
What makes chicken great and so versatile is the seasonings and sauces you can use to highlight it. And with this apple cider chicken, the apple cider is the star! So if you're looking something that tastes like fall and couldn't be easier to make, give this dish a try.
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Ingredients Notes
- Chicken - you want bone-in chicken as it simmers in a sauce and becomes fork tender.
- Apples - use your favorite apples. Just make sure they are crisp so they hold up to the sauce.
- Sage - if possible, use fresh sage as it has so much more flavor and really make the dish.
- Apple cider - use quality cider as that's where the main flavor of the sauce comes from.
- Stock - some of the flavor of the sauce comes from the stock but you don't want it overloaded with salt. Use low-sodium if possible.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- I love skin-on chicken thighs, but chicken breasts work as well. You just will need to bake a little longer as they are typically thicker.
- If you don't have sweet onions, white, yellow or shallots will work too. They all high slightly different flavors.
- I use all-purpose flour for thickening the sauce, but you can use cornstarch if you need to go gluten-free.
- Even though I think apple cider is the only option, you can use apple juice in a pinch. Just add a squeeze of lemon juice to offset the sweetness.
- While I love the ease of using chicken stock, you can open a quality bottle of white wine and use that instead.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cook chicken skin-side down in skillet with some oil over medium-high heat for 10 minutes before flipping and cooking another minute. Remove the chicken from the skillet and add butter, onion and apples, cooking for 5 minutes.
Add in the garlic and sage, cooking for another 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour and add in the apple cider, cream and stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer.
Return the chicken to the skillet and place in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Broil for an additional 1-2 minutes to get skin crispy.
FAQs
I like to use my favorite apple which are Honeycrisps. But you can also use others like Galas, Pink Ladies or Granny Smiths.
In general no. Apple juice is much sweeter than apple cider so the recipe would be overly sweet. You could help offset it with some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar but apple cider is the way to go.
You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink.
Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
Yes, just let the chicken and sauce come to room temperature after cooking and store in the fridge. Once ready to serve, reheat the chicken and sauce to a simmer and serve.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Side Dish Suggestions
For this apple cider chicken recipe, wild rice is usually a go-to of mine but some other options include:
- Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Roasted Carrots
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use chicken thighs as it contributes to the richness of the dish. However if you only have chicken breasts, it will work as well.
- If using dried sage, use ⅓ of the amount as it is more potent.
- Do not flip the chicken until it releases itself from the skillet. That is how you know the skin is crispy.
- Use your favorite apples, from Honeycrisp to Gala to Fuji.
Similar Recipes
If you’ve tried this apple cider chicken recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Apple Cider Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- salt + pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 apples, sliced into ½ inch wedges
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon sage, chopped
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup apple cider
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skin-side down. Cook undisturbed for about 8-10 minutes, or until the skin is browned and the chicken easily releases from the skillet. Flip and cook for another minute. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add butter. Add the onion and apples and cook for 5-7 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and sage and cook for another 30 seconds. Next, add the flour and whisk until it is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add the apple cider, heavy cream and chicken stock to deglaze the pan. Bring sauce to boil then reduce to simmer.
- Return chicken to skillet, skin-side up and spoon some of the sauce over it. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cooked through, spooning some sauce over the chicken halfway through.
- Once ready, turn the broiler on and broil until the skin is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, about 1-2 minutes.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs as it contributes to the richness of the dish. However if you only have chicken breasts, it will work as well.
- If using dried sage, use ⅓ of the amount as it is more potent.
- Do not flip the chicken until it releases itself from the skillet. That is how you know the skin is crispy.
- Use your favorite apples, from Honeycrisp to Gala to Fuji.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
Tom says
Never thought of using apple cider in something like this!
Janet says
Wow was this good!