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A skillet filled with cooked chicken thighs and sliced apples in a seasoned sauce, surrounded by small bowls of ingredients on a wooden table.
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One Pan Apple Cider Chicken Recipe

Want a fall dinner that looks impressive but won't stress you out? This apple cider chicken combines juicy thighs with a creamy, wine-spiked sauce in one gorgeous pan. We'll show you the simple technique that creates restaurant-worthy results.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Resting Time5 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 616kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs bone in and skin on
  • 1 tablespoon minced thyme
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • ½ cup shallots minced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 gala apples thinly sliced
  • 3 sprigs rosemary

Instructions

  • Season the chicken with the thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • Sear in a large skillet with olive oil on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes each side to lightly cook the skin.
  • Move the chicken to the side of the pan and add in the shallots, garlic, and an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
    A skillet with seasoned raw chicken thighs, chopped onions, and minced garlic on a wooden surface.
  • Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the shallots are translucent.
  • Add the apple cider, red wine, maple syrup and heavy cream to the pan with the chicken and shallots. Then stir gently to mix the liquid ingredients and move the chicken back to the center of the pan.
    A hand pours red wine into a skillet with seasoned chicken thighs simmering in a sauce on a wooden surface.
  • Place the apple slices and rosemary sprigs around the chicken.
  • Cover and cook on medium/low heat for 25 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
    A skillet with cooked chicken thighs, sliced apples, and fresh herbs in a sauce, placed on a wooden surface.
  • Remove the rosemary sprigs from the pan and let the pan sit for a few minutes before serving the chicken thighs over the apple slices and topping with the sauce from the pan.

Notes

  • The sauce should thicken as it cooks and be absorbed by the apple slices.
  • Because of the red wine used in the recipe, the chicken will appear slightly pink even when it is fully cooked, so make sure to go by the temperature with an instant-read digital meat thermometer when determining if it is fully cooked. According to the USDA chicken is safe at 165°F.
  • If the sauce is too thin for your taste, you can simmer the pan uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the moisture content, or add 1 tablespoon or cornstarch to the pan while stirring to distribute and thicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 616kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 1266mg | Potassium: 564mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 668IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg