Apple Cider Braised Chicken Thighs

Apple cider braised chicken thighs are so delicious and come together all in one pot, making them a great easy weeknight fall meal. Perfectly crispy skin, tender potatoes, and a ton of onions all simmered and baked in apple cider and wine. So, so yummy.

A FEW KEY INGREDIENT NOTES FOR BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS:

• Chicken: For this recipe I prefer bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. These will be the most moist after being seared and baked, and retain that delicious flavor. You could absolutely do boneless if you prefer.
• Potatoes: Yukon gold baby potatoes are ideal because of their buttery texture. Other baby potato varieties will likely be fine to substitute.
• Apple cider: Apple cider is certainly not hard to come by this time of year. Just make sure that it's not sparkling apple cider.
• White wine: You'll want to use a dry white wine. I recommend buying one that you will also enjoy drinking because you'll have a decent amount left in the bottle!
• Dijon mustard: This ingredient gives adds delicious depth of flavor to the sauce. I wouldn't recommend skipping it, but if you really don't like mustard, you could.
• Thyme: Fresh is best but if you need/want to sub for dried do so by using ½ tsp.

KITCHEN TOOLS YOU'LL NEED:

• Braiser or heavy-bottom stovetop to oven pot (at least 3.5QT)
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Wood spoon
• Tongs

HOW TO MAKE APPLE CIDER BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS:

Apple cider braised chicken is a dish loaded with so much flavor that takes only a few easy steps to make.

1. Step 1: Prep. Clean your chicken as needed, season both sides with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Chop your onions, potatoes, and garlic.
2. Step 2: Brown. On medium-high heat, melt olive oil and sear both sides of the chicken thighs until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.
3. Step 3: Sauté. Lower the heat to medium and sauté the onions and garlic about 5 minutes.
4. Step 4: Deglaze & reduce. Pour the white wine in and deglaze the pan, allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Then mix in the apple cider and dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce for about 5-8 minutes.
5. Step 5: Add in the baby potatoes & sprinkle with salt, pepper and the thyme. Layer the chicken on top and bake uncovered at 400℉ for 30-35 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.

WHAT IS BRAISED CHICKEN?

Braised chicken is a two-step cooking process that begins with a sear to get it golden brown, followed by a slower bake in a liquid/broth. This cooking method enables both a crispy skin and delicious, moist chicken infused with the flavors of the liquid.

OTHER EASY DELICIOUS FALL DINNER RECIPES:

• Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers
• Roasted Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
• Spinach, Pesto & Cheese Stuffed Shells
• Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce with Sage Breadcrumbs

📖 Recipe

Apple Cider Braised Chicken Thighs

Apple cider braised chicken thighs are so delicious and come together all in one pot, making them a great easy weeknight fall meal. Chicken thighs with perfectly crisp skin, tender potatoes, and a ton of onions all simmered and baked in apple cider and wine.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 lb yukon gold baby potatoes quartered
• 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• ¾ cup apple cider
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 400℉.
• Clean and pat your chicken thighs dry. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat. Sear both sides of the chicken thighs, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
• Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until the onions loosen up and it's all very fragrant.
• Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Simmer for 5 minutes, then mix in the apple cider and mustard. Simmer to reduce for 5-8 minutes.
• Mix in the baby potatoes and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the fresh thyme. Place the chicken thighs (and any juices that may have released while they were sitting) back in the pan nestled in with the potatoes. 
• Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender. 

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 905mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken

Author: Haley