Go Back

French Apple Cider Chicken

French apple cider chicken braises juicy, pan-seared chicken thighs in a glossy apple cider-cream sauce. The thighs cook skin-side up to stay golden while shallots and caramelized apple slices simmer into the sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and aromatics
  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 apples cored and sliced
  • 3 shallots thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 1 cup hard apple cider or fresh apple cider
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs well with salt and pepper, then sear skin-side down in olive oil and butter over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until golden.
  2. Flip the chicken and cook for 3 more minutes, then remove from the pan.
Sauté apples and aromatics
  1. In the same pan, sauté shallots and apple slices over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until golden.
  2. Add minced garlic, fresh thyme, and dried rosemary, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Build the cider sauce
  1. Deglaze the pan with the cider and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
  2. Add chicken broth and Dijon mustard and stir to combine.
Braise and finish
  1. Return chicken to the pan skin-side up, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through.
  2. Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Pro tip: use a covered simmering time of 20 minutes so the thighs stay tender while the cider-cream reduces to a glossy finish. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a pan. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can break after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, replace heavy cream with crème fraîche or a lactose-free cream alternative if desired.