This apple cider glazed chicken is chicken thighs served with apples in a sweet and savory sauce for a delicious comfort food meal. It’s the perfect fall dinner for a busy weeknight. It only has 6 ingredients and is ready in 30 minutes!

When I need a dinner I know the whole family will love, I turn to favorites such as easy baked chicken breast , one pan maple dijon chicken and this comforting cider glazed chicken.

Cider glazed chicken thighs served over cooked apples. - 1

Do you remember when I told you that Asian salmon was so good that I bumped it to the top of my recipe queue to share with you immediately? This cider glazed chicken is another one of those show stopping must-make recipes. It’s so good that I’ve made it twice in the past week and my picky eaters ate three servings!

Try this chicken with some of my favorite side dishes like hasselback potatoes , roasted sweet potatoes or roasted red potatoes . You can also enjoy these side dishes with more poultry dishes like roasted cornish hen , chicken vesuvio , turkey tetrazzini and elegant chicken francese .

Cider Glazed Chicken Ingredients

When you make apple cider glazed chicken, you will need butter, chicken thighs, apple cider, Dijon mustard, fresh sage, apples, salt and black pepper.

How Do You Make Cider Glazed Chicken?

To make this cider glazed chicken start by preheating your oven and preparing your chicken thighs by seasoning them with salt and pepper. Next, melt butter in a large pan and cook the chicken thighs skin-side down until the skins turns golden brown. Turn the chicken over and add apple cider. Place the pan in the oven and let the chicken roast. While your chicken cooks place sliced apples in another pan and simmer them in butter and apple cider until tender. Season the apples with salt and pepper. After the chicken pan comes out of the oven, place the chicken on a plate. Whisk Dijon mustard and chopped sage into the cider and drippings in the pan. Pour the sauce from the pan over the chicken and enjoy it with the tender cooked apples!

A dish with four apple cider glazed chicken thighs served over apples. - 2

Tips For The Perfect Cider Glazed Chicken

  • Remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts or similar heat protection. If the handle of a pan goes in the oven, it will be hot!
  • This recipe calls for apple cider , like the drink, not apple cider vinegar. Make sure you have the right ingredient!
  • I don’t cook the apples with the chicken because if you cook the sliced apples in with the chicken they’ll just boil in the cider and get mushy.
  • Try to get fresh sage to bring out the flavor of the dish.
  • Keep some whole sage leaves for a fun garnish!

Quick Tip

Make sure to use an oven safe pan . You want a pan that is all metal that can go into an oven.

Seared and roasted thighs in a delicious sweet and savory sauce. - 3

This apple cider glazed chicken will stay good in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, if you reheat your apples they will be softer. You may want to cook up new apple slices to go with your chicken leftovers.

Yes, the flavors of apples and chicken complement each other with the apples bringing sweetness and tanginess to savory chicken.

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Apple cider glazed chicken thighs on a plate served cooked apples. - 4

Flavor Variations

While this apple cider glazed chicken is delicious as-is, you can change up the flavors to suit your taste.

  • Herbs: Sage is a classic fall herb; however, you can use other herbs like fresh thyme, fresh rosemary or a poultry seasoning blend.
  • Skinless Chicken: You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts if you want. However, I prefer the crisp texture of the the seared skin on the chicken thighs.
  • Garlic: You can stir in 2 teaspoons of minced garlic into your sauce with the Dijon mustard. If you do, make sure the garlic cooks on the stove for 30 seconds.
  • Maple: For a sweeter sauce, try adding a tablespoon of maple syrup to your sauce.

My kids are already asking when we’re going to be having “apple chicken” again, and it will definitely be soon. Maybe even tomorrow – because when something is this good and this easy to make, why not eat it all the time?

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Ingredients1x2x3x

  • ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided use
  • ▢ 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • ▢ 3/4 cup apple cider + 1 tablespoon divided use
  • ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ▢ 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
  • ▢ 3 apples cored and thinly sliced
  • ▢ salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a large skillet melt 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper; cook, skin-side down, until golden, about 8 minutes.
  • Turn the chicken, add the cider, then place the pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
  • After the pan comes out of the oven transfer the chicken to a plate. Whisk the mustard and sage into the cider drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
  • While the chicken is cooking, In another skillet, cook the apples in the remaining butter over medium-high for 5 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of apple cider, turn the heat to high and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Season the apples to taste with salt and serve them alongside the chicken.

Notes

  1. Make sure to use an oven safe pan. You want a pan that is all metal that can go into an oven.
  2. Remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts or similar heat protection. If the handle of a pan goes in the oven, it will be hot!
  3. This recipe calls for apple cider, like the drink, not apple cider vinegar. Make sure you have the right ingredient!

Nutrition

A dish with apple cider glazed chicken thighs served with ripe apples. - 10 This cider glazed chicken is the perfect dinner for a busy weeknight - it only has 6 ingredients and is ready in 30 minutes. - 11

Cider Glazed Chicken

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided use
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 3/4 cup apple cider + 1 tablespoon divided use
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
  • 3 apples cored and thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a large skillet melt 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper; cook, skin-side down, until golden, about 8 minutes.
  • Turn the chicken, add the cider, then place the pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
  • After the pan comes out of the oven transfer the chicken to a plate. Whisk the mustard and sage into the cider drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
  • While the chicken is cooking, In another skillet, cook the apples in the remaining butter over medium-high for 5 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of apple cider, turn the heat to high and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Season the apples to taste with salt and serve them alongside the chicken.

Notes

  1. Make sure to use an oven safe pan. You want a pan that is all metal that can go into an oven.
  2. Remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts or similar heat protection. If the handle of a pan goes in the oven, it will be hot!
  3. This recipe calls for apple cider, like the drink, not apple cider vinegar. Make sure you have the right ingredient!

Nutrition