One skillet is all you need to make this tender and juicy apple cider chicken. The process is really easy: coat chicken thighs with a cozy, flavorful mix of warm spices and cook them in a skillet. Remove, and then prepare a super simple apple cider pan sauce with sweet apples and shallots. This is a quick, crowd-pleasing 35-minute dinner recipe you’ll want to make on repeat all autumn long!
One reader, Juliev, commented: “Delicious! I made a double batch of this for my bigger family last night and it was wonderful. The warm savory spices and mild sweetness of the sauce are so good together. Chicken and apples both came out beautifully. Definitely making again. ★★★★★“
If you love spiced apple cider and jump for joy at the thought of a quick & easy chicken dinner, you’ll flip for this generously spiced apple cider chicken dish. It’s wonderfully savory, and has a kiss of sweetness from the apple cider and brown sugar.
FALL IN LOVE!
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Apple Cider Chicken
- Quick and easy 1-pan meal
- Extra tender, juicy chicken
- Basically fall in a skillet 😉
- Cozy warm spices with salty, sweet, and savory flavors
- Apple cider and butter obviously make a delicious pan sauce
- Undeniably crowd pleasing, so you’ll want to make again and again
If there’s one stand-out meal you make during the fall season… one that will have everyone talking and demanding you make on repeat… it’s this. See my list of 30 delicious fall dinner recipe ideas for even more inspiration.
The best part of this dish, obviously besides its ease and the FABULOUS apple cider pan sauce, is the robust mix of spices. I adapted this dish from a Cooking Light recipe I found, and added quite a bit more spice so the flavors really stand out.
Use These Spices for the Best Flavor
- Salt & Pepper
- Ground Coriander
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg
- Dried Thyme Leaves
If you’ve made this maple-roasted squash kale salad before, you already have most of these spices in your kitchen!
You also need chicken, a little butter and olive oil, a touch of brown sugar, apples (no need to peel), shallots, and… the star of the show… apple cider. Be sure to use apple cider, the nonalcoholic beverage, and not apple cider vinegar. You’ll be deeply disappointed with that mistake!
A little tip: Fresh apple cider typically appears in grocery stores and farm markets around late summer, but can get harder to find by the end of the year. To ensure I can make this cozy recipe all throughout the winter, I like to freeze some apple cider in an ice cube tray, then defrost a couple of frozen cider cubes whenever I want to make it. You can also use it to make this baked apple cider French toast and honeycrisp apple sangria throughout the season. Or try making your own homemade apple cider!
Success Tip: Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Chicken Breasts
If you want to make this recipe with chicken breasts instead of thighs you can, but you’ll lose some flavor. Chicken thighs are a fattier cut of meat, so they taste much richer than chicken breast meat. They are also smaller than most chicken breasts, so they cook faster on the stove. If you use chicken breasts, I recommend buying the thin-sliced or tenderloin cuts.
But for best results with this recipe, I strongly recommend chicken thighs.
Start the Chicken, Then Make the Pan Sauce
Ideally, you want a pretty big skillet for this recipe, and I usually use my 12-inch cast-iron skillet. This is the same skillet I use to make creamy garlic chicken and walnut crusted chicken. If your skillet is small, you can cook the chicken in batches. You can also use a Dutch oven.
Sprinkle the spice mixture on both sides of the chicken thighs, then cook the chicken in a little oil, flipping once, until both sides are golden-brown and the internal temperature has reached 165°F (74°C).
Remove the chicken and set aside.
Add the butter to the pan (don’t wipe it out first—you want the flavorful spices and drippings from the chicken in there for the pan sauce!), and swirl to coat. Add the apple and shallot slices and sprinkle with the remaining salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften. Pour in the apple cider, and cook until the apples are crisp-tender, and the sauce has thickened a bit.
Finish up by adding the cooked chicken back to the pan—just for a couple minutes, to warm it back up and mix everything together.
The process is a lot like my reader-favorite cilantro lime chicken and this creamy lemon thyme chicken (one of my all-time best dishes!).
I like to garnish the dish with more thyme, plus some fresh rosemary if I have it on hand. To serve, place the chicken thighs on plates, then top each piece of chicken with a big scoop of apples and shallots, along with that delicious apple cider pan sauce.
FAQs
Coriander brings a lot of flavor to this dish, so I don’t recommend skipping it or substituting it. In an absolute pinch, you can substitute with ground caraway, or with 1/4 teaspoon each dried oregano and ground cumin.
You can, but you’ll lose some flavor. Apple cider is fresh, unfiltered, and typically unpasteurized, so it’s more like the raw, purer version of juiced apples. Apple juice has had the pulp and sediment filtered out, and is pasteurized to extend its shelf life.
Most apple varieties work for this recipe, though I’d steer clear of softer, mealier varieties like Red Delicious and McIntosh, which could cook down into mush. I tend to use one tart apple (like Granny Smith) and one sweet apple (like Honeycrisp). I use this same half tart/half sweet trick pretty much every time I bake with apples, whether I’m making apple pie or apple cinnamon bread.
My best apples for baking also applies here. 😉
What to Serve With Apple Cider Chicken
This chicken recipe pairs with many different side dishes. I like to serve it with green beans and rice, which can both be made on the stove as well. (Sometimes I have to give my oven a night off!)
But this apple cider chicken is also tasty with potatoes or sweet potatoes, a fresh green salad, dinner rolls or brown butter sage dinner rolls, asiago-crusted skillet bread, sweet potato dinner rolls, or cornbread. If you’re feeding a larger crowd and want some more substantial side dish options, try warm brussels sprouts salad, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mushroom puff pastry tarts, or zucchini casserole.
Have leftover apples on your hands? Try apple cobbler or apple turnovers for dessert!
Skillet Apple Cider Chicken
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
One skillet is all you need to cook this tender, juicy chicken with sweet apples and apple cider sauce. A blend of spices add impeccable flavor, and the apple cider sauce is made right in the same skillet! Review recipe Notes before starting.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound (454g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
- 2 cups (250g) apple slices (about 1/4-inch-thick slices, no need to peel)
- 1/3 cup (40g) chopped shallots (or yellow onion)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar)
- optional: fresh thyme and rosemary, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. I usually use a cast iron skillet, but any skillet this size works. You can also use a Dutch oven.
- In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 teaspoon salt, the coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried thyme, and pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture over both sides of the chicken thighs.
- Add a drizzle of oil to the hot skillet, and swirl to coat. Add the chicken thighs to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 5 more minutes or until cooked through (internal temperature should be at least 165°F (74°C)). Transfer chicken to a plate and cover lightly. You’ll add it back to the pan in the end of the next step.
- Add the butter to the pan (no need to wipe it out first), and gently swirl to coat as it melts. Add the brown sugar, apples, and shallots, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Pour in the apple cider and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cider sauce has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Spoon the apple mixture over the chicken to serve. Garnish with fresh thyme and rosemary, if desired.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. The butter in the sauce will solidify, but once you reheat, it all comes back together. You can reheat on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Cast-Iron Skillet | Tongs | Instant-Read Thermometer
- What can I use instead of coriander? Ground coriander brings a lot of flavor to this dish, so I don’t recommend skipping it or substituting it. In an absolute pinch, you can just leave it out or substitute ground caraway, or 1/4 teaspoon each dried oregano and ground cumin.
- Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs? You can, but you’ll lose some flavor, and they may take longer to cook. For best results, I strongly recommend boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider? You can, but you’ll lose some flavor. Apple cider is fresh, unfiltered, and typically unpasteurized, so it’s more like the raw, purer version of juiced apples. Apple juice has had the pulp and sediment filtered out, and is pasteurized to extend its shelf life.
- Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 247
- Sugar: 19.7 g
- Sodium: 523.1 mg
- Fat: 9.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.1 g
- Protein: 17.4 g
- Cholesterol: 95.2 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
This recipe is a keeper. Delicious.
We made this for lunch today and it was AMAZING! Since we have a diabetic in the family, I used splenda brown sugar (a mix of splenda and real brown sugar) and it worked perfectly! I do have a question though. Would this freeze well? Thank you!
I made this recipe tonight trying to channel fall when it’s 107 outside. It was so yummy and my 6 year old loved the chicken! I will definitely make this again! Thank you!
Made this for supper tonight. Easy and delicious!
Looks delish. Can you make this in a slow cooker?
Hi Linda, we recommend the stove for this. But if you try a version in the slow cooker, let us know how it turns out!
This was a winner. Thank you.
I’m making your cheesecake eight now. I can’t wait till it’s done.
I’ve made this recipe twice, and it has turned out to be my most favorite in the way of chicken! I love, Love, LOVE it! Thank you for all of the recipes (cookies, chicken, meals, all of them!).
I made this dish for a woman who was I’ll and needed meals brought in. I was flummoxed about what to make since she is not to eat any salt (not low salt — NO salt). I am a salt addict so I didn’t know what to do. I figured something with fruit would be good. I made this recipe, leaving out the salt. Here was what she wrote: “The food was DELICIOUS!!! That chicken was AMAZING” All caps from an 80 year old sick woman. Thanks for the recipe! Now I wish I’d made some for myself!
My family loves this dish!
Definitely a five star for taste and ease of making. Very delicious. Served with left over mashed potatoes
Reminds me of a tagine w chicken and sweet potatoes I used to make. Love the cinnamon and coriander together. I made a rice w it that i made w apple cider and chicken stock, i bloomed the chicken spices in olive oil, w onion and garlic and sauteed the rice a bit bf adding the liquid. Delish.
If I only have ground dried thyme, do I have to change anything? Thank you 🙂
Hi Sophia, we’d reduce it to about 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme. Hope you enjoy the dish!
This was so, so good! This recipe is now one of my favorite chicken dishes. I used skin on, bone in thighs and it came out great – I just had to cook the chicken a bit longer.
Five stars!
This recipe intrigued me immediately. And it did not disappoint! Sally, you’re my baking go to blog. Looks like I will need to check out your savory recipes as well.
Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Pamela!
This is incredible! Best fall meal I’ve had. So delicious when the apples are still slightly crisp. We are making it again tonight and making extra sauce cause it’s just so yummy
I rarely ever leave reviews but I just had to with this one. Before this meal was even done cooking, I had already sent a link to my best friend telling her to make it. The house smelled amazing! This was absolutely delicious! Such a cozy, yummy fall meal.
I have made this twice now, sticking for the most part to the recipe. Today, I used boneless porkchops insead of the chicken thighs. The flavor was good, but when we make it again, we will go back to Thighs. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Delicious and easy to make!
This was absolutely fantastic!! My husband wouldn’t stop raving about it, and it was so simple to put together. Will definitely be adding this into my fall dinner rotation. Thanks!
Made this recipe for dinner. We loved the balance of sweet, tart, and savory. I would make again! This was the first savory recipe I have tried from Sally’s website, it did not disappoint.
This was amazing! I have a large group meal coming up and I’d love to serve this! Any tips on making this for a large group? Could you pre-brown the chicken and make the sauce and then when time for meal heat up in the oven?
Hi Janet, you could make the whole thing ahead of time and refrigerate until you are ready to reheat on the stove. The butter in the sauce will solidify, but once you reheat, it all comes back together. Enjoy!
What a fantastic dish! It really is fall in a skillet. I had more chicken than the recipe called for, so I increased the seasoning slightly and added a little more apple cider and butter to the pan. My family could not stop eating it. Quick and easy to make, too. Sally’s recipes are the best!
Oh my gosh! This was decadent. I had my doubts but it was scrumptious. I left out one thing because my husband and I are counting calories right now. I left out the brown sugar everything else I kept the same and I served it over rice. It was absolutely Divine I could have eaten the entire skillet. The apples I used were Granny Smith.
Made this the other night. Bumped the chicken up a hair, since the thighs were large. Swapped yellow onion for shallot as recommended. No idea what sort of apples they were; they came from a friend’s orchard in VT, and we bumped those a little, too…because who doesn’t love cooked apples? I thought it was absolutely delicious, my wife thought the dish was great, but could use a little heat. I think she might have something there. Given the flavor profile, what might you add sparingly for some kick? Looking around online, was thinking a little habanero pepper, maybe. Regardless, loved the recipe. Thanks!
That sounds fantastic, Jim! Some habanero pepper or even a pinch of red pepper flakes should work great here. Let us know what you try, and we’re so glad your first go was a hit!
This was awesome! I served it with some mashed potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts and it was a hit with the whole family! Admittedly I ended up not being able to find apple cider, but apple juice worked just fine- if anyone wanted to make this off-season or if apple cider isn’t for you. I also added walnuts when cooking the apples and onion and everyone loved the crunch.
this recipe was easy to follow and turned good and the left overs the next day was just as good.
This was a hit with the whole family and easy to make. I had requests to make it again the next day. It will definitely be on the rotation going forward.
I have a question. Could I use normal apple cider the alcohol version with this dish. I would love to try it as it sounds devine.
Hi Jayne, we haven’t tried/tested it, but let us know if you do.