Name: Apple Cider Chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: For the Chicken; 28 ounces boneless, skin-on chicken breast (3 to 4 breasts); 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 2½ cups diced butternut squash; 1 large Honeycrisp apple, skin-on, sliced; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons flour; 1 cup apple cider; 1 tablespoon country-style mustard; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon maple syrup; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Mains

Apple Cider Chicken

Author: Mary DiSomma

Featured in my "What's Cookin'" column for Peoria Magazine, October 2023.

I love a good cast iron skillet dinner. Everything is cooking in one pan with all those delicious flavors intermingling. My apple cider chicken with butternut squash and apples fits the bill when it comes to the perfect autumn dinner dish. A sizzling hot cast-iron skillet gives the chicken a perfectly browned skin. I use the pan juices from the chicken to make a flavorful apple cider sauce, then nestle diced butternut squash and apple slices around the chicken. A 25-minute visit into a hot oven and my perfect fall dinner is ready to serve.

This dish is one of my favorites to make at our farm. I pick up apple cider, fresh apples, and butternut squash from my favorite farmers' market to give the dish some local flavor. Here’s my pro tip: remember to pick up a loaf of your favorite crusty bread. You’ll want to use it to enjoy every bit of that apple cider sauce!

Ingredient Tips

Yes. Bone-in chicken will work, but you'll need to allow for a little extra cooking time. The most important thing is to check the thickest part of the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F. Bone-in meat can add a little extra flavor to the pan sauce too, which is never a bad thing.

You could—but the apple cider is what gives this apple cider chicken recipe a fuller, more concentrated apple flavor. Apple juice is usually lighter and sweeter than cider, so the finished sauce won’t have quite the same depth. If that's what you have in the refrigerator and you can’t make an extra trip to the store, go ahead and use it. The apples, butternut squash, and savory chicken juices will still give you plenty of flavor.

Honeycrisp apples are a great choice because they have the right balance of sweetness and tartness. They also hold their shape during cooking. If you can't find Honeycrisp, look for another firm apple with a good sweet-tart balance. Pink Lady or Braeburn would probably be my next choices. I would stay away from very soft apples that break down quickly. This combination—chicken with apples and cider—is perfectly balanced between the rich pan sauce and sweet baked apples.

For most apple cider-glazed chicken recipes, I would use a fresh, alcohol-free apple cider. You can find it in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or at a farmers market, depending on the time of year. I wouldn't sub in hard cider because it has a totally different flavor profile. The cider here is meant to create a sweet and tart base for the sauce. It complements the savory chicken.

If you're shopping for ingredients, look for an unfiltered cider with a rich apple flavor. This is one of those recipes where a good cider really can make a difference.

Preparation + Preservation Tips

I love a good cast-iron skillet dinner because it’s functional but looks rustic and pretty. That being said, you do have other options for cooking everything together in one pot. The most important thing is to use an oven-safe skillet that can also handle the stovetop.

A heavy stainless-steel skillet would work well, too. You want a pan that can get hot enough to brown the chicken and then move directly into the oven. If you don't have a skillet that can go from stovetop to oven, brown the chicken in your largest skillet, then transfer everything to a baking dish before putting it in the oven.

Don't worry! A thin sauce is usually an easy fix. Just return the skillet to the stovetop and let the sauce simmer (uncovered) for a couple more minutes. This allows some of the excess liquid to evaporate, which concentrates the sauce. Make sure you keep an eye on it as it reduces. You want it to be glossy and flavorful, not gooey and sticky. Spoon it over your plate and you get apple-glazed chicken! I highly recommend serving some bread on the side so you can sop up any leftover sauce after you finish your protein.

Let the chicken cool, then transfer it along with the squash, apples, and sauce to an airtight container. Refrigerate within two hours of cooking and enjoy within three or four days. To maintain the best texture, reheat leftover chicken in a covered skillet on medium-low heat. You can add a splash of cider, water, or chicken broth if you need to loosen up the sauce at all. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, but make sure to use short bursts so the chicken doesn't dry out.

Extra Tips

If you're looking for another flavor-packed chicken recipe, try my Chicken Tinga Tostadas. It's a completely different flavor profile, but it's so good!

My One-Pot Homemade Chicken Soup is just the thing when you want a simple bowl of comfort.

Crispy and golden, Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad and a simple balsamic vinaigrette is a lovely meal any night of the week!

Or, try my yummy Chicken Piccata over a bed of spaghetti!