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Autumn Harvest Chicken Skillet Recipe

Autumn Harvest Chicken Skillet Recipe
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★★★★★

4.9 from 15 reviews

This Autumn Harvest Chicken Skillet is a cozy, flavorful one-pan meal featuring tender chicken breasts seared to golden perfection and simmered with sweet apples, aromatic onions, and a savory apple cider sauce infused with fresh thyme. Perfect for crisp fall evenings, this dish pairs wonderfully with mashed potatoes or rice for a comforting seasonal dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
  • Salt & black pepper, to taste

Vegetables and Fruits

  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 apples, thinly sliced (Honeycrisp or Gala work well)

Liquids and Seasonings

  • 1 cup apple cider (not vinegar)
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)

Instructions

  1. Season Chicken: Generously season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper on both sides to enhance flavor.
  2. Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until they develop a golden brown crust. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  3. Sauté Onions: In the same skillet, add the thinly sliced onions and cook for 3–4 minutes until they soften and become translucent, absorbing the existing flavors from the skillet.
  4. Add Apples: Stir in the thinly sliced apples and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes until they are slightly tender but still hold their shape.
  5. Deglaze Skillet: Pour in the apple cider and chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to lift any browned bits. These add depth of flavor to the sauce.
  6. Simmer with Thyme: Add fresh thyme leaves to the skillet and return the chicken breasts to the pan. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce has reduced slightly to a flavorful glaze.
  7. Serve: Serve the chicken breasts hot, spooning the apple and onion sauce over them. This dish goes excellently over creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy rice for a wholesome autumn meal.

Notes

  • Use firm apples like Honeycrisp or Gala to prevent them from turning mushy while cooking.
  • Feel free to substitute chicken breasts with boneless thighs for juicier meat.
  • If apple cider is unavailable, a mix of apple juice and water can be used, but avoid vinegar as it will alter the flavor.
  • For a richer sauce, add a tablespoon of butter at the end of cooking to finish the sauce.
  • This recipe can be made dairy-free by using olive oil instead of butter.
  • Make sure not to overcook the chicken; use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Nutrition

Keywords: autumn chicken recipe, apple chicken skillet, fall dinner recipe, one-pan chicken dinner, apple cider chicken, easy chicken skillet

Find it online: https://ricoloranz.com/autumn-harvest-chicken-skillet-recipe/