Description
Autumn Apple Chicken is a cozy, flavorful dish featuring tender seared chicken thighs topped with a spiced apple and onion sauté, finished with a luscious apple cider pan sauce. This recipe perfectly blends savory and sweet autumn flavors, making it an ideal main course for fall dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 1/2 lbs), thicker portions pounded to even thickness
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Apples
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 medium gala apples, cored and sliced thin
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion (1/2 of a small)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
- 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp minced fresh sage
Pan Sauce
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp apple juice (preferably not from concentrate)
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the pan sauce mixtures: In a liquid measuring cup or mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup apple juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard. In a separate small bowl, whisk cornstarch with 1 Tbsp apple juice until smooth. Set both mixtures aside.
- Sear the chicken: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken evenly with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle olive oil into the hot skillet, tilting to coat the pan evenly. Add chicken, spacing pieces apart, and sear until browned on the bottom, about 6 minutes.
- Finish cooking the chicken: Turn chicken, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the center reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Clean the skillet surface: If there are black bits stuck to the pan, use metal tongs and wet balled-up paper towels to scrape them off carefully. Return skillet to medium heat.
- Sauté apples and onions: Melt butter in the skillet. Add sliced apples, red onions, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a light pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 minutes until apples start to soften. Add minced thyme, rosemary, and sage; sauté for 1 more minute.
- Add the apple juice mixture: Pour in the apple juice, honey, vinegar, and mustard mixture. Let it simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly, then season with salt to taste.
- Thicken the pan sauce: Whisk the cornstarch and apple juice mixture again, then pour into the skillet. Stir continuously and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until the sauce thickens.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the chicken to the skillet, spooning the apples and pan sauce over the pieces. Heat together briefly to meld flavors before serving.
Notes
- Using a cast iron skillet helps achieve a nice sear on the chicken and evenly cooks the sauce.
- Pounding the chicken thighs to even thickness ensures uniform cooking.
- You can substitute gala apples with Fuji or Honeycrisp for a sweeter flavor.
- If fresh herbs are unavailable, use half the quantity of dried herbs.
- Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for food safety.
- Use not-from-concentrate apple juice for the best depth of flavor in the sauce.
- Adjust honey based on your preferred sweetness level.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
