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.
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!
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.
Recipe FAQs
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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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?
More Great Chicken Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
4 hrs 15 mins
Bacon Wrapped Chicken
40 mins
Honey Mustard Chicken
40 mins
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
4 hrs 5 mins
Baked Lemon Chicken
40 mins
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
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
- Make sure to use an oven safe pan. You want a pan that is all metal that can go into an oven.
- 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!
This recipe is a total gem. I can’t believe how easy it was to get so much flavor. This is my new go to recipe for Monday nights.
I am confused. In the comments a number of people have said they used apple cider vinegar. Does the recipe use apple cider or apple cider vinegar? In Australia they are different to each other.
It uses the drink apple cider, not vinegar
Wow! This looks amazing. Perfect for the upcoming fall apple season. Can not wait! Pinning, saving and making. 🙂
Sara I am happy to let you know this recipe was featured on #AnythingGoes this week! Please stop by nd pick up your badge. Congratulations! Have a great week.
Thanks so much, heading over now! 🙂
This looks like a tasty recipe and apple cider vinegar is so good for you. Thanks for sharing your post at the #AnythingGoes Link Party.
Oh yum! I just found Sunday dinner! Delicious! Thank you, thank you so much for sharing this delicious dish on Making Memories Mondays!! I am so glad that you came!
Cathy
I love using cider with meat, it’s so good! I usually use pork but now I’ll have to try it with chicken 🙂
Cider-glazed chicken! I LOVE this idea! You always have the best chicken recipes. 😉
We just finished our first gallon of apple cider and thinking I need to get a second just to make this chicken! looks insanely delicious!
Isn’t this the perfect fall recipe. I never have tried a cider glaze before but it sounds like something VERY delicious.
This is just the sort of cooking that appeals to me! Gorgeous photos too 🙂
This sounds wonderful, Sara! I’m a huge vinegar fan, and I definitely want to try this! I love how easy it is too!
Ohhh wow that looks insanely flavorful!! Pinning and trying for sure 😀
Oh my gosh! I am ALL about this recipe! 🙂 It is seriously going on my dinner plan for later this week. Looks amazing! 🙂
Cant wait to try
That chicken looks amazing. Love the glaze.
Such a gorgeous dish! I love using cider to cook with to add all that fall flavor, can’t wait to make this! Pinning!