Apple Cider Chicken Thighs

These Apple Cider Chicken Thighs are one of our favorite fall dinners! Tender, braised chicken thighs in a comforting apple cider gravy!

Say hello to fall with this delicious, braised chicken thigh recipe! There’s so many comfort food recipes that we like to make this time of year including this Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie and of course our popular Brown Gravy Meatloaf that really, we make all year long. Don’t forget to end dinner with an Easy Apple Crisp!

A Comforting Fall Dinner Recipe

We’re heading into fall and we couldn’t be happier! Although I do love summer, once it hits September 1st I’m ready for all the fall flavors. Apple cider cocktails, which we have many to choose from here, comfort food dinners and all the yummy fall desserts!

These Apple Cider Chicken Thighs are a new favorite dinner recipe for us. The chicken thighs are braised in a creamy, apple cider gravy that is unbelievably delicious along with fresh apples and fresh thyme.

Can I Use Chicken Breasts For This Recipe?

I get it, sometimes you only have chicken breasts on hand or maybe you’re not on of these chicken on the bone people? Totally understand, I’m a new convert myself.

Chicken on the bone will definitely make for a more tender piece of chicken as the end result, but you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you want to. Chicken breasts on the bone would be a great substitution, like I said, anything on the bone will be more tender and juicy.

But even if you use boneless, skinless chicken in this recipe it will still be delicious because of all the creamy gravy.

Tips For Making This Chicken Thigh Recipe

Just to highlight one of the most important steps to making delicious, braised chicken thighs I have to show you this picture. If your chicken thighs don’t have that nicely browned skin on top then go back to the skillet.

The brown, crispy skin is what gives a ton of flavor to this chicken recipe, but it also helps to seal in the juices and make a tender chicken thigh in the end.

After you perfectly sear your chicken thighs, the rest is so easy!

Remove the chicken thighs form the skillet and add fresh apples and onions. Cook them down until they’re softened and then make the apple cider gravy by adding flour, cider and chicken broth to the skillet.

After the gravy thickens, add the chicken thighs back to the skillet and tuck them down into the gravy. Another tip for properly braising chicken is that you only want the liquid to come about halfway up the chicken.

When you have all the chicken thighs back into the skillet, let the chicken braise for about 20 minutes until it’s tender and cooked through. You can spoon some of the gravy over the chicken as it’s cooking or wait until the end when you’re ready to serve.

Easy chicken recipes like this one are not only a staple at our house because of how they taste but because they are so easy to make! One skillet dinners make for an easy clean up!

What Can I Serve With These Apple Cider Chicken Thighs?

Anything from carb loaded sides to low carb roasted vegetables. Or both, really! You’re going to want something to soak up all this delicious gravy, trust me on that one!

• Perfectly Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Spicy Mushroom Rice
• Rosemary Asiago Garlic Bread
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Looking For More Chicken Recipes?

• Ultimate Creamy Chicken Marsala
• Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
• Chicken Francese
• Sausage Stuffed Chicken Rollatini
• Asian Baked Chicken Legs

Apple Cider Chicken Thighs

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4.5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Dan
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x

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These tender, braised chicken thighs are covered in the most delicious apple cider gravy! Serve this chicken dinner with mashed potatoes or rice for soaking up all the gravy!

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 green apple, cut into thick slices
• 1 red apple, cut into thick slices
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 cup apple cider
• 3/4 cup chicken broth

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Instructions

1. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Add to skillet with olive oil skin side down for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip over and cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Drain drippings form skillet into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the drippings back into the skillet along with the onions, apples and thyme. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and fresh black pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes until the apples and onions have softened. Add the garlic, stir and cook another minute longer.
3. Sprinkle flour into the skillet and mix together with the onions and apples. Pour in the cider, stir and then pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and return the chicken thighs back to the skillet, tucking down into the sauce. Partially cover the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes until the thighs are cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken thighs to a platter and then spoon the onions, apples and gravy over the top. Serve with more fresh thyme if desired.

Recipe Notes

If you have a large enough skillet, you can cook 6 chicken thighs for this recipe and there will still be plenty of gravy!

• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: American