Autumn Apple Chicken
A delicious fall inspired dish made with pan seared chicken thighs, warm spices, fresh sautéed apples, and a lightly sweet and tart apple pan sauce. A homestyle dinner that tastes like it came straight from an orchard!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 1/2 lbs), thicker portions pounded to even thickness
- 3/4 tsp each salt and black pepper, then more to taste
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Apples
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 medium gala apples, cored and sliced thin
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion (1/2 of a small)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp each minced fresh thyme, rosemary and sage (or 1/2 tsp each dried)
Pan sauce
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp apple juice (preferably not from concentrate)
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- In liquid measuring cup or mixing bowl whisk together 1 cup apple juice, the honey, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard. In a separate small bowl whisk together cornstarch and 1 Tbsp apple juice. Set both aside.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle chicken on both sides evenly with paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil into skillet (use hot pads to lift and tilt pan to coat bottom of pan evenly with oil).
- Add chicken spacing evenly apart. Let sear until browned on bottom, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until center of chicken pieces registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 5 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- If there are black bits (not just browned) on the skillet use metal tongs and wet balled up paper towels to scrape some of them off at this point. Return skillet to medium heat. Melt butter in skillet.
- Add apples, red onions, cinnamon and nutmeg. Season lightly with salt, saute 3 minutes. Then add thyme, rosemary and sage and saute 1 more minute until apples are starting to soften.
- Pour in apple juice/honey mixture. Let simmer 2 minutes to reduce, season with salt to taste. Whisk apple juice cornstarch mixture again then pour into skillet. Cook 30 to 60 seconds longer while stirring.
- Return chicken to apple mixture and spoon apples and pan sauce over chicken.