Apple Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs
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The following recipe and photography were provided by local blogger Abby Thome of The Thome Home.
Seasonally inspired, the aroma that moves through your home as these Apple Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs cook away in the oven will leave you speechless.
Sweet and savory, this dish is extremely easy to make and looks impressive on the table. Heinen’s carries quite a few Midwest-made apple ciders and as much as I love drinking them, I think I love cooking with them even more.
As the cider reduces, it deepens in flavor and produces the most moist caramelized chicken thighs you’ve ever tasted.
What’s better is that this seasonal supper pairs beautifully with roasted Brussels sprouts that can cook right alongside the chicken!
Apple Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs
Cook time: 45min Prep time: 15min Total time: 60min
Servings: 6 (2 thighs per person)
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Marinade
- 12 Gerber’s CARE Certified chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 1 cup Red Jacket apple cider (for the marinade)
- 2 Tbsp. Heinen’s organic Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. rosemary, minced
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 head of garlic, top cut off
- 1 honeycrisp apple, skin on, sliced thin
- 4 oz. pancetta
- 1 1/2 cup Red Jacket apple cider (for cooking)
- 2 rosemary sprigs
For the Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- 4 cups Brussels sprouts, halved
- 2 Tbsp. Heinen’s organic pure maple syrup
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Heavy pinch of kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the chicken thigh marinade. In a bowl, mix together the apple cider, Dijon mustard, spices and herbs.
- Place the chicken thighs in a Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over top. Store in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
- Start browning the pancetta in a 15-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once browned, remove from the pan and set on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Leave pancetta drippings in the pan and add the marinated chicken thighs, skin-side-down. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy. Turn the chicken thighs over and let the other side brown for 1-2 minutes. Remove the chicken from pan and set aside on a plate.
- Carefully pour 1 1/2 cups of apple cider into the hot pan and scrape up all of the brown bits on the bottom.
- Add the chicken thighs back into the cider, along with the sliced onion and apple, rosemary sprigs and the head of garlic, cut-side-down.
- Bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes, or until the chicken thighs are cooked through.
- Place the halved Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and toss with the syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes alongside the chicken.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, sprinkle the pancetta over the entire dish and spoon some of the reduced cider over top.
