Description
One-pot fall dinner: juicy bone-in chicken thighs braised in non-alcoholic apple cider with onions, apples, Dijon, and herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 lb / 1.1 kg)
- 1¼ tsp kosher salt (7 g), divided
- ¾ tsp black pepper (2 g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (14 g; use oil for dairy-free)
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (300 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 firm apples (e.g., Honeycrisp), cored and sliced (300 g)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (15 g)
- 1 cup non-alcoholic apple cider (240 ml)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock (240 ml)
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (or ¼ tsp dried)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
- Optional: 1 tsp cornstarch (3 g) mixed with 1 tbsp water (15 ml)
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper. Sear skin-side down in oil over medium-high 7–9 minutes; flip 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower heat. Add butter, onions, and a pinch of salt; cook 4–5 minutes. Stir in garlic, apples, Dijon, thyme, rosemary, and smoked paprika; 1 minute. Pour in apple cider and stock; scrape browned bits. Nestle chicken skin-side up.
- Cover and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30–35 minutes, to 175–185°F (79–85°C). Remove chicken. Simmer sauce 3–5 minutes; stir in cider vinegar. Season. Thicken with cornstarch slurry if desired.
Notes
Dairy-free: use all olive oil. Gluten-free: thicken with cornstarch; use GF stock.
Make-ahead: refrigerate 3–4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) until 165°F (74°C).
Tested twice; best after 30–35 min covered braise plus brief reduction.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braise, One-Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 620
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 36
- Cholesterol: 170
Keywords: Juicy Apple Cider Braised Chicken Thighs, apple cider chicken, braised chicken thighs, Dutch oven chicken, one-pot chicken, weeknight chicken, fall dinner, dairy-free option, gluten-free friendly