Apple Cider Chicken Skillet
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This cozy apple cider chicken skillet is surprisingly easy to make and basically delivers fall on a dinner plate! Pan-seared chicken thighs stay nice and juicy in a delicious pan sauce of fresh apple cider and a hint of Dijon, and they taste extra lovely with tender apple slices and tangy red onions. One pan and 30 minutes only!
In general I like meals that feel appropriate any time of the year, but every so often a seasonal combination is just so good as to be worth waiting for. This is without a doubt one of those meals!
A mix of rich coriander, rosemary, and thyme, plus pinches of irresistible fall spices—cinnamon and nutmeg—creates the most enticing crust on juicy, tender chicken thighs. Then a quick sauce made of fresh apple cider picks up all the rendered seasonings and brown bits of chicken for big-time flavor in one simple skillet dinner.
We love this with an apple cabbage slaw or simple steamed green beans. Crusty bread or egg noodles on the side are a necessity to pick up every last drop of sauce.
Craving more dinners with all the fall feels? Pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce and cranberry balsamic skillet chicken top the list!
Why You’ll Love This Apple Cider Chicken
- Literally just the epitome of fall
- One skillet cooking delivers maximal flavor and minimal clean-up
- Done in about 30 minutes, including chopping and prep work
- Flexible for choosy kids—even my pickiest likes the chicken and will eat apple slices on the side, so it feels like we’re eating the same meal
- The spice mix is just incredible!
Ingredient Notes
Get To Know Coriander!
Coriander, a key element in my popular sheet pan chicken gyros, is equally influential here to make simple chicken thighs stand out. Ground coriander is from the small, round seeds of the same plant that yields fresh cilantro, but the flavor is unique, with floral and citrus notes. If you don’t have any, add a pinch of cumin, or leave it out and scale up to heaping teaspoons of dried rosemary and thyme.
It All Starts with the Best Spice Rub
Season the chicken. Begin by combining all of the spices, plus a bit of salt and pepper, then gently rubbing this mixture into the chicken on all sides.
Cook the chicken. I prefer to do this in a mixture of butter and olive oil—you can use all olive oil if you like, I just like the hint of extra flavor the butter provides—over medium-high heat. Each piece should develop a nice, dark sear on at least one side and reach 165°F in the middle of the thickest part.
Pro Tip
If the chicken is taking a really long time to cook all the way through, cover the skillet fully or even partway to trap more heat and speed up the process. This is rarely necessary with thinly-sliced chicken breasts but can help when you’re in a hurry and working with chicken thighs.
While the chicken is cooking, you will have time to slice the red onion, core and thinly slice the apple or apples, and measure out your apple cider and Dijon mustard. If you have picky eaters, set aside some apple slices to serve them uncooked.
When done, remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
Apple Cider Pan Sauce
Make the pan sauce. After removing the chicken, use a small splash of cider to deglaze the pan. Add the butter and Dijon; when butter melts, stir in the sliced onion. After a couple of minutes, stir in the apples, followed by the remaining apple cider.
Simmer to taste. Bring the liquid to a bubble and let it simmer away for 3-4 minutes, or until it is as thick as you like.
This is the time to sample and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you desire a slightly sweeter sauce, whisk in 1-2 teaspoons of honey; if you prefer a tangier sauce, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of mustard or a squeeze of lemon juice.
Put it all together. Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce on top, and let it warm through. Add fresh herbs to make it look pretty, and serve!
What To Pair With Apple Cider Chicken
Arrange chicken on dinner plates and top each piece with a big scoop of apples and onions plus a generous drizzle of the apple cider pan sauce. Extra sauce is also delicious over any steamed or roasted vegetables you may have on the side. Our favorites are roasted carrots with thyme or crispy broccolini. So good!
Kale apple salads with tart Pecorino or greens with a light homemade balsamic dressing go really well if you’re in the mood for a bright salad on the side.
Storage & Reheating Tips
- To Store: Leftover apple cider chicken keeps well in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The chicken keeps well even as the apples start to break down and can be repurposed to top a lunch salad.
- To Reheat: Warm portions in the microwave on 50% heat to prevent overcooking and the meat turning dry.
More Easy Chicken Skillets
- Lemon Thyme Chicken
- Chicken Pasta Marinara
- Creamy Garlic Chicken with Thyme
- Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Dijon Chicken and Potatoes
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken
Apple Cider Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs can be bone-in or boneless
- 1 teaspoon each ground coriander, dried rosemary, and dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon each ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter divided
- ½ medium red onion sliced
- 1 or 2 medium apples see note
- ⅓ cup apple cider see note
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- fresh thyme and rosemary optional garnish
Instructions
- If possible, remove the chicken thighs from the refrigerator 20-25 minutes prior to cooking. Combine all of the spices, plus ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper, in a small bowl, then gently rub this mixture into the chicken on all sides.4 chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon each ground coriander, dried rosemary, and dried thyme, ½ teaspoon each ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg, kosher salt and black pepper
- When ready to cook, warm olive oil and half of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tablespoon butter
- When the butter melts, place the seasoned chicken in the hot skillet. Sear for 4-5 minutes without prodding or touching, until the pieces are well-browned on the bottom. Flip and continue to cook until they reach 165°F in the middle, probably about 4-5 minutes more. (If it’s taking a very long time for the chicken to cook, cover the skillet all or partway to speed things up.) Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- While the chicken is cooking, slice the red onion, core and thinly slice the apple (don’t peel), and measure out your apple cider and Dijon mustard.½ medium red onion, 1 or 2 medium apples, ⅓ cup apple cider, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- After removing the chicken, pour a splash of cider into the skillet and scrape the bottom to release any browned bits. Add the rest of the butter and the Dijon mustard, followed by the sliced onion. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring once or twice, then add the sliced apples.
- Stir in the rest of the apple cider. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Sample and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Return chicken thighs to the skillet and warm for 1-2 minutes, spooning the sauce over top. Serve right away with fresh herbs, if desired. Enjoy!fresh thyme and rosemary
Notes
- Apple Cider: This recipe really shines in the fall with fresh, unfiltered apple cider. Shelf-stable apple cider works in a pinch but has bit less flavor and punch, and apple juice is another step removed from the genuine article.
- Apples: Most types of apples will work for this recipe, just try to avoid any that are really soft or mealy, which includes McIntosh, Red or Golden Delicious, and Gala, because they can become too mushy when simmered in the sauce. Crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work great, and if you want to have more apple action, use one of each variety—or cut one of each variety, cook half of each in the pan sauce, and serve the other wedges uncooked to any choosy kids.
- Chicken: Substitute chicken breasts if you like; they will cook more quickly but are more prone to overcooking, so keep a close eye and remove right away when cooked through.
- Coriander: This spice has a unique flavor. Use it to make my popular sheet pan chicken gyros next! If you don’t have any, use a pinch of cumin instead, or just leave it out and use heaping teaspoons of dried rosemary and thyme to compensate in the spice rub.
- Season to Taste: If you taste the sauce and prefer it to be a bit more sweet, whisk in 1-2 teaspoons of honey. If you prefer it to be a bit more tangy, add an extra ½ teaspoon of Dijon or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Storage & Reheating: Leftover apple cider chicken keeps well in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The chicken keeps well even as the apples start to break down and can be repurposed cold to top a lunch salad. Warm portions in the microwave on 50% heat to prevent overcooking.
- Nutrition Info: Is based on four servings and the use of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Using skin-on chicken thighs will result in considerably more fat grams per serving.
This recipe made me feel like a 5 star chef!! Delicious!
This is the best feedback ever! Thank you so so much, Lisa!!
We love this dinner when fall rolls around–cozy, relatively nutritious, but still really easy to make! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.