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Apple Cider Smothered Chicken. Lightly seasoned chicken seared until golden with nutty browned butter, garlic, fresh thyme, and sage. The chicken is finished in a yummy apple cider pan sauce with caramelized buttered onions and melted Gruyère cheese. The chicken is “smothered” in sauce and then topped with crispy prosciutto and fresh thyme just before serving. It’s delicious, especially when served with a few slices of fresh bread, mashed potatoes, or a side of rice. Such a cozy one-pot dinner with delicious, comforting flavors.
I guess I’ve been saying this a lot lately, but this might just be one of my favorite recipes this fall. I’m not sure what’s going on with me, but my days have either been really great or really bad. The bad days are no fun, and I end up not using whatever recipe I’d been working on, but the good days are SO GOOD.
Every recipe coming up is a favorite. I guess I just love my fall recipes most—well, fall and, of course, all the special holiday recipes.
This is the best time of year!
I made this the other week, and I’m happy to finally share the recipe. The cider pan sauce that this chicken is smothered in is so delicious.
With caramelized onions and creamy, melty Gruyère cheese, it almost resembles French onion soup. But the slight sweetness from the cider makes it even better.
And the crispy prosciutto only makes this dish that much more delicious!
Here are the Details
Ingredients
- thinly sliced chicken breast or small chicken thighs
- all purpose flour
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- prosciutto
- salted butter
- yellow onions
- garlic
- fresh thyme and sage
- Honeycrisp apples
- apple cider (not apple cider vinegar)
- heavy cream
- Gruyère cheese
Tools
- oven-safe skillet – highly recommend cast iron
That’s all!
Step 1: season the chicken
Before you begin cooking, season and flour the chicken. Start with salt and pepper, then mix paprika, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a scoop of flour.
If you need to be gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free flour or an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.
Take the chicken cutlets and toss them in the flour to coat them fully. The flour creates a crispy chicken with a coating that will allow the sauce to really stick to it.
Step 2: cook the prosciutto and sear the chicken
Find a big skillet. I always use cast iron. Cook the prosciutto until extra crispy, then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Now add a sliver of butter and pan-sear the chicken until the crust is golden and the butter browns around it. Remove the chicken from the skillet. I usually put it on the same plate as the prosciutto.
Step 3: make the apple cider pan gravy
Now, add the onions. I use two thin slices, but you can use one or two, depending on your preference. I think apples and onions together are delicious.
Get the onions golden and caramelized. Then add the apple cider. Bonus points if you make your own cider or pick up a fresh batch from a local farm.
Let the cider simmer for 5 minutes, stir in the cream, and slide the chicken right in. Now add the apple wedges and let it simmer. The next step is important. Sprinkle over some Gruyère cheese and allow it to melt over the chicken and into the sauce—like French onion-style chicken!
Step 4: bake and finish
Take the skillet off the burners and put it in the oven to finish cooking and melt the cheese even more. When the cheese has melted, remove the dish from the oven.
Add the prosciutto to the top, then finish with fresh thyme. It’s going to look delish and smell even better.
Thanks to the onions, apples, and, of course, all the creamy sauce, I’ve been loving this with mashed potatoes. It’s so cozy and scrumptious on a fall night.
Also, a big fall salad like my harvest salad is the perfect final touch. If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, spaghetti squash is always a favorite of mine in the fall. It would go so well with this smothered chicken.
You can’t go wrong either way. The sauce makes just about anything you serve alongside it great. One thing that’s a must? A few slices of fresh bread are needed to mop up the extra sauce. You just have to do it! Of course, I love my beer bread, surprise, surprise!
Looking for other simple dinners? Here are my favorites:
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Baked Chipotle Cheddar Sweet Potato Chowder
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
Herby Buttered Balsamic Mushroom Ravioli
Smothered Chicken in Mushroom Wine Pan Sauce
Lastly, if you make this Apple Cider Smothered Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Apple Cider Smothered Chicken
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 435 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds thin-cut chicken breasts
- salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne
- 3 ounces prosciutto
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, sliced or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cut into wedges
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1/2-1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour, paprika, and cayenne in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken through the flour and toss to coat.2. Arrange the prosciutto in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy all over, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet.3. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden, 3-5 minutes per side. Add 1 more tablespoon of butter and allow the butter to brown around the chicken, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Add 2 tablespoons butter, garlic, thyme, sage, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onions have caramelized.4. Add the apple cider. Simmer for 5 minutes, pour in the cream. Add the chicken and apples to the skillet. Sprinkle over the Gruyère. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with crispy prosciutto and fresh herbs.5. Serve the chicken with crusty bread for mopping up all that delicious creamy sauce. YUM!
This post was originally published on September 30, 2024
I want to make this for a big family dinner 16 people. Can this be prepped and made ahead then finished in the oven just before serving
Hey Silvia,
Totally, that will work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!
Merry Christmas!
Why do I heat the oven?
You are baking this dish in step 4:)
SO YUMMY and easy to follow! Will definitely be making this one again:)
Hey Abby,
Yay! Love to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you making it! Happy Holidays!
I made this for my family for Thanksgiving but without the prosciutto and it was SO good! My whole family loved it. When they say thinly cut chicken breasts, they mean it! I didn’t cut my chicken breasts thin enough and they took forever to cook. That was user error, not the recipe. I made this gluten free by swapping the flour for Arthur’s gluten free flour and it was really good! I highly recommend this recipe.
Hey Lauren,
Happy Monday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed!
This was really good! My husband really enjoyed it. The only thing I would note is that the amount of time it takes to make this recipe was a lot more for me than stated. I had to cook the chicken in batches since my cast iron is only 11” so maybe that was why? Just generally it took me twice as long to do most of the cooking steps compared to what the recipe states. Just something to be aware of!
Hey Aly,
So kind of you to try this recipe and leave feedback—glad it was a hit! So sorry this took longer than expected!
My husband teared up because he was so overwhelmed by the deliciousness of this dish. He was literally crying because of how good this was 🤣, I guess I have to make it again!
Thanks for another awesome recipe. I happened to have some white wine to use up in the fridge so I used that to deglaze the pan after browning the chicken. It was a great addition.
Hey Nicole,
LOL love this! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I’m so glad it was a hit. Have the best week!
The guys in my family loved this! I used organic chicken thighs and organic honey crisp apple juice and served it with jasmine rice. Thanks for a winning recipe!
Hi Gigi,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment! Enjoy your day!
This recipe is AMAZING!! I used boneless chicken thighs and it was so good and hearty. I served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts. Literally the perfect fall dish. Will be making every fall for the rest of my life.
Hey Stephanie,
Yay! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Have a great week!
I’ve made this twice for my lunch meal prep. I pretty much follow the recipe but use boneless skinless chicken thighs. This is delicious and makes my whole house smell like fall delights.
Hey Sarah,
Happy Sunday!🎃 Thanks for giving this recipe a whirl, so glad it turned out nicely for you!
This has been a fall staple in my household since the recipe was published last year. It is FANTASTIC and every family member that has tried it agrees. Minimal prep, one pan, fall flavors while sneaking in some fruit, the perfect quick (ish) dinner! We love to put it over mashed potatoes and pour the extra sauce on top so it makes the potatoes nice and flavorful.
Love to hear this, Kenzi! Thanks for making this dish so often, I am so glad it always turns out well for you!
Fantastic! This is a Sunday dinner worthy dish.
Hey Sheila,
Amazing! Thanks a bunch for trying this dish and your feedback, so glad it was enjoyed!
This is insanely delicious!
Hey Mckenzie,
Wonderful! I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it!🎃👻