This month, after creating these delectable caramel apple cider cookies, I thought it would be fun to prepare a main dish using my favorite homemade apple cider. I came up with this incredible apple cider baked chicken recipe after purchasing some basic (and incredibly cheap!) ingredients.
The preparation only takes ten minutes (ideal before leaving for work in the morning), and after the food has marinated all day, you simply put it all in the oven. And there you have it: a quick and nutritious dish that highlights the goodness of baked apples, chicken, potatoes, lemons, and herbs.
Here is 5 recipe(s):
Apple Cider Baked Chicken
Combine your easy dinner favorites with the flavor of the season in this Apple Cider Baked Chicken recipe if you enjoy both apples and chicken.
Prep: 4h
Total: 5h15min
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, peeled and cut into eighths
- 1 large lemon, sliced into thin rounds
- 2 cups apple cider, homemade or storebought
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 6-8 chicken legs or thighs
- 2 large apples, each sliced into eighths
- 1 lb. small, red or Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
Instruction:
- Put a large bowl into a heavy-duty zip-top bag measuring one gallon. Combine the onion with the following 10 ingredients in the zip-top bag. Add the chicken to the marinade. Place the sealed bag in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or even up to 24 hours to marinate.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken pieces skin-side up in a sizable roasting pan. Over and around the pieces, pour the entire marinade, including the onions and lemons. Tuck the apples and potatoes around the chicken. Stirring once halfway through the cooking process to recoat everything with the marinade
- Place the chicken, potatoes, and fresh thyme leaves on a platter.
Apple Cider Chicken
Prep: 0 15min0
Total: 0 40min0
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1 of 8 servings
Serving Size 1 of 8 Servings, 244 Calories, 9g Fat, 3g Saturated Fat, 12g Carbohydrate, 1g Fiber, 8g Sugar, 26g Protein, 90mg Cholesterol, and 496mg Sodium.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
Instruction:
- One tablespoon of butter and oil are heated in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove chicken from pan, and set aside. Bay leaves, onion, apple, garlic, remaining butter, and thyme should also be added. Saute for about 6 minutes, or until apple starts to turn color and onions soften. Add flour and stir 2 to 3 minutes. Place the chicken back into the pan, add the cider, and cook it while stirring occasionally. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
Roasted Apple Cider Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
Serving Size: 1 grams
Nutritional Information: Serving Size 1 grams, Unsaturated Fat 0 grams
Ingredients:
- 8 pieces (about 3 lbs.) bone-in chicken thighs and legs
- 3/4 cups apple cider
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon (pinch) allspice
- 1-1/2 lbs. baby potatoes, halved
- 1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Holland House Sherry Cooking Wine
- 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
- Fresh chopped parsley, thyme, or rosemary
Instruction:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine apple cider, olive oil, garlic, paprika, salt, onion powder, rosemary, pepper, and allspice in a small bowl. Add to the chicken pieces in a sizable bowl or resealable plastic bag, and toss to evenly coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and as long as a day.
- Place marinated chicken in a rimmed 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Discard marinade. Place the pieces in the pan with the skin side up and distribute them evenly. Arrange potatoes and onions around and under the chicken.
- Bake uncovered for about 1 hour. The chicken should be fully cooked with clear juices, and the potatoes should be tender.
- While chicken bakes, prepare your apple cider glaze. To a small saucepan, add apple cider, brown sugar, Holland House Sherry Cooking Wine, and mustard. Stir and heat to a boil, then turn heat down to a low setting. Simmer mixture for 5-10 minutes then turn off your heat. Let mixture sit, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10-15 minutes. This glaze will thicken the longer you leave it off the heat.
- Remove baking dish from oven. Pour glaze over cooked chicken and potatoes. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs, if desired.
- Enjoy!
Apple Cider Glazed Roasted Chickens
Ingredients:
- 3 cups apple cider
- 1 whole chicken
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Granny Smith or Pink Lady apple, (quartered)
- 1 small sweet onion, (quartered)
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons butter, (softened)
Instruction:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a wire rack and set inside a roasting pan.
- Bring apple cider to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup.
- Chicken should be washed in cold water and dried with paper towels.
- Sprinkle inside cavity of chicken with salt and pepper.
- Fill the cavity with the thyme, two quartered apples, and two quartered onions.
- Chicken should be covered in butter and should have salt and pepper on the outside.
- Place the chicken on the prepared rack, tying the legs together with twine.
- Place in preheated oven and bake 30 minutes. When chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, bake for 30 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees, basting with reduced apple cider every 15 minutes.
- Broil for 2 to 5 minutes if skin isn’t sufficiently browned.
Apple Cider Chicken
This quick chicken sauté has fall flavors thanks to fresh apples and apple cider.
Total: 30min
Nutritional Information: 251 calories, 16 g of carbohydrates, 64 mg of cholesterol, 10 g of fat, 2 g of fiber, 24 g of protein, 2 g of saturated fat, no serving size, 367 mg of sodium, 12 g of sugar, no trans fats, and no unsaturated fats.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and thickly sliced
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallots
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup apple cider
- ½ cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instruction:
- Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes per side, flipping once, or until browned. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Apples, a shallot, thyme, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil are added to the pan. Cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add apple cider and broth; bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pan along with any remaining juices, and adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a platter. The remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper, along with the sour cream and parsley, are added to the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
APPLE CIDER CHICKEN
FAQ
Is it better to bake chicken at 350 or 400?
Keep an eye on the internal temperature of the chicken and cook it at a lower temperature of 350 degrees for chicken breasts because white meat dries out more quickly than dark meat.
Should you cover chicken when baking in oven?
Preparing and baking a whole chicken or just a few pieces of it at home is really all there is to it. Since it’s okay to bake chicken uncovered, you never have to worry about covering it. It’s hands-free once your chicken is in the oven until you need to check the temperature.
How do you cook chicken in the oven so it doesn’t dry out?
According to research conducted by our test kitchen, baking chicken at a higher temperature, 425°F, locks in the moisture and produces a really juicy chicken breast.
How do you keep chicken breast moist in the oven?
To keep the chicken breast tender and juicy, cook it at a lower heat for a longer period of time. Cook under foil until the internal temperature reaches a safe 160 degrees Fahrenheit after a brief period of baking. To make cleanup easier, line a pan or baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Olive oil keeps chicken moist and adds extra flavor.