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31 Recipes to Cook in October.
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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
Made this the other night for a group of “foodies”. Turned out amazing – as usual with Half Baked recipes. I was a bit leery of mixing meat and fruit, but the flavours were outstanding. My husband loves pancetta, so I did half pancetta and half prosciutto – delicious. Super easy to follow and prep. Thanks!
Hey Leslie,
Awesome! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment! Glad to hear it was enjoyed. Have a great week! x
Loved this so much!! I omitted onion because I’m not a fan of them and used extra garlic instead. Came out wonderfully, and the sauce is amazing. Awesome job Teighan, another delicious recipe to add to my rotation. Thank you! 🙂
i made this for friends we had over for dinner and it was amazing!
Hey June,
Happy weekend! So glad to hear this dish turned out well for you, thanks for sharing with others:) xT
Amazing recipe!! I didn’t have fresh sage so I put a little fresh rosemary with the thyme (I live on an island that has incredible fresh rosemary) and I used comte cheese and added a little Calvados as well….
Incredible flavors!!😋😋😋
Hey Melina,
Awesome!! So glad to hear this dish was enjoyed, thanks for trying it! Happy Saturday! xT
The teens said it was very good 👌🏼 We all loved it!
Hey Virginie,
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy fall weekend! xT
my favorite HBH recipe maybe ever!
Hey Avery,
Thanks so much! Love to hear this dish turned out well for you! Have a great fall weekend! xT
Made this last night! It was great!
Thanks so much, Donna! So glad you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it! Have a great weekend! xT
Made the Apple Cider Smothered Chicken last night, my husband and I loved it!!! I did not have prosciutto so I fried up some crisp bacon, it was delicious!!
Hey Mary,
Happy Friday! Thanks so much for making this dish, so glad to hear it was a hit! xT
Oh so delicious!
Creamy and sweet, but also satisfyingly savory!
My daughter, who has discerning tastes chowed down!
One thing to mention it took quite a bit of time. Totally worth it! But I’d recommend maybe prepping stuff earlier in the week or just knowing it’s going to take about an hour!
Hey Virginia,
Fantastic! So glad to hear this turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it! Happy Friday:) xT
I can’t get cider in the country I live in, could I just use apple juice as a sub? What to do, there are such lovely ale cider recipes 😩
Hey Mara,
Sure, apple juice should be just fine for you to use! I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Thanks so much for another delicious recipe! The use of the apple cider added a subtle, apple flavor. I did not use the prosciutto, however, I used bacon fat to cook the chicken which added a nice pork flavoring. I will definitely make this again!
Hey there,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you! xT
Hi! In the video you called the cheese Gouda. But the printed recipe says Gruyère. Just want to clarify it’s Gruyère!
Can’t wait to make it!
Hi Nancy!!
Ooops! Yes, it’s gruyere! I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! Big hit and wonderful fall flavors.
Love to hear this, Jill! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback! Have a great day! xT
Made this tonight, and especially if using a cast iron skillet as recommended, you must turn the heat down after searing the chicken. I have black onion and garlic and herbs. When the cider deglazes the pan, it brought up lots of black. I’m going to start the sauce over and hoping it will be delicious!
Hi Shannon,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try! So sorry about the black in your skillet, cast iron definitely gets pretty hot. Let me know how the second round goes, I hope it turns out better! xT
Hi Teighan from Scotland!
I made this tonight for my husband and I to try it out as we have friends visiting next week from Nepal. Absolutely gorgeous, the perfect autumn dish!
Could I make it up to step 4, omitting the apples and cheese, freeze it, and then after thawing reheat on stove, add apples and cheese and finish in oven as recipe? Trying to get as much done ahead of time.🥰
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, Georgina! So glad to hear you and your husband enjoyed the dish. Yes, I think that would work nicely for you! Thanks for sharing with others:) xT