042 / 100 · Chicken and Turkey, Gently Done

Apple-Cider Chicken with Shallots

4 portions Active 20 min Total 45 min

Apple cider gives this skillet chicken a rounded fruit flavor that is different from the sharper taste of cider vinegar. Use plain, unsweetened drinking cider, then reduce it with stock and shallots into a light pan sauce. One sliced apple adds soft pieces alongside the chicken. Boneless thighs suit the gentle simmer and can be served whole, making this a comfortable dinner with simple preparation. The finished sauce is glossy rather than thick, so mashed potatoes or plain rice would be useful companions if you want something to catch it.

Jump to the ingredients

Chicken thighs in amber cider sauce with apple wedges and soft shallots in a silver skillet.

Start with the shallots intact

Halving small shallots from root to tip keeps some of their layers together during cooking. They soften into sweet petals instead of disappearing completely into the sauce. Larger shallots can be quartered. Add the apple later than the shallots; it needs only the final simmer to soften and should still be recognizable when the pan comes to the table.

Cider is the seasoning

Check that the bottle contains ordinary apple cider or cloudy apple juice, not hard cider and not vinegar. The reduction concentrates sweetness, so there is no added sugar in the recipe. A small spoonful of cider vinegar at the finish balances the sauce without making it sour. Lift the chicken out while reducing the sauce if necessary, then return it only long enough to coat.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 oz (225 g) small shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) unsweetened nonalcoholic apple cider
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, explicitly without chili or pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 firm apple (about 6 oz / 170 g), cored and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Set out

12-inch skillet with lid, Tongs, Instant-read thermometer

Allergens

Milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Pat the chicken dry and season with the salt. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the thighs for about 4 minutes per side, in batches if necessary. Transfer to a clean plate; they will finish cooking later.
  2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the shallots, cut sides down, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn and cook for 2 minutes more.
  3. Pour in the cider and stock, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the thyme and bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Return the chicken and its collected juices to the pan. Arrange the apple wedges around it. Cover and simmer gently for 12–16 minutes, turning the chicken once, until each thigh reaches 165°F (74°C).
  5. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean serving dish. If the sauce looks thin, simmer uncovered for 3–5 minutes until lightly reduced. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar and butter. Spoon the apples, shallots, and sauce over the chicken.

A useful detail

If the apples soften before the chicken is done, lift them out with a slotted spoon and return them when finishing the sauce.

Make it your own

  • Use firm pear wedges instead of apple and add them for the last 8–10 minutes.
  • Fresh sage can replace thyme; use 3 small leaves, finely sliced.

Keep it well

Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Store at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 4 days. Reheat chicken and sauce together to 165°F (74°C).