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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
I made this tonight and thought it was delicious!
I did not find it too sweet, but can see how someone might experience that if honey crisp wasn’t used or if the apples were sweeter than usual.
I do agree with others that it had a lot of liquid, however if served over cauliflower rice or mashed potatoes, the liquid would be great! If not serving over something smashed, maybe reduce the apple cider by 1/2 cup.
I served this over chopped spinach to add greens (I didn’t feel like having salad).
Overall I thought this dish had great flavor and was easy to make! Will definitely add to the rotation! 🙂
Thanks so much, Jeneane! I appreciate you giving this dish a try and sharing what worked well for you! So glad it was enjoyed!
So sweet. I really disliked it.
Very sorry to hear this! Thanks for trying the recipe. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with!
I really wanted to like this but I did not. It was okay but I am not sure I would make it again.
It was way, way too liquidy and unpleasantly sweet. I used fresh sweet cider from a local farm and a great quality Gruyère and prosciutto . I also used boneless thighs rather than chicken breasts.
Should I have used an unsweetened cider? Simmered long enough to reduce the cider significantly or just reduce the liquid overall?
My husband liked it so maybe with modifications this would work for me.
I do need to say that I love 99.9999% of your recipes. This just didn’t work for me
Hi Shelley,
Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing your feedback! So sorry to hear you didn’t love it. You could definitely use an unsweetened cider, but I have a decent amount of liquid in the dish. Let me know if I can help in any other way!
So yummy and relatively easy. Looks fancy with low effort and little mess.
Hey Jen,
Amazing, thanks for trying this recipe and letting me know it went well! Happy Fall!
Excellent! Chicken was tender and juicy. Sauce was magnificent. I will definitely make this recipe again.
Hey Ryanne,
Thanks for testing this recipe out, I’m thrilled it was a success for you. Have a nice day!
Oh my goodnes, this was absolutely delicious, and perfect for fall. Thank you!
Hi Amy,
Thanks for making this recipe! Love hearing it turned out just right. Have the best week!
Hi,
since I’m from Europe I want to ask: Is USA apple cider just unfiltered apple juice? Or is it spiced (like with cinnamon in a christmas-y way)?
In Europe cider is alwas a sort of wine made of fermented apples.
Thanks and best regards
Daniel
Hey Daniel,
Yes, that is correct, it is unfiltered apple juice, sometimes they can be spiced, just depends where you get it from. I hope this helps!
Hi Tieghan,
thanks for the reply. I tried it and it was very good 🙂 To have some extra veggies I added brussels sprouts which paired very nicely. Also fits the season.
Thanks so much, Daniel!
From one Summit gal to another, this is an awesome dish! My family loved it, definitely making it a part of our meal rotation. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hey Devon, I really appreciate you making this recipe and reporting back. Thrilled it turned out well! Have the best weekend!
The only reason I gave it a 3 star is because it was too strong tasting on the vinegar taste. That’s all I tasted was the vinegar. And took away from the great taste the chicken had. What could I do to tame down the vinegar taste. Wow it it was so strong.
Hi Holly,
So sorry to hear this, there is no vinegar in this recipe, it’s just apple cider:) I hope this helps for next time! xx
Omg. I am soo sorry. My mistake totally on reading the recipe. I will definitely try this again using the right ingredients
That’s what happens when you are in a hurry. Now this does sounds delicious. 5 stars.
No worries at all, it happens to the best of us:)
I made this last night using the correct ingredients lol. And it is amazingly delicious,such great flavors for the fall.
I’ll be adding this recipe to my recipe rotation and will make when my kids come home for the weekend in a couple weeks.
Hey Holly,
Thanks so much! I love to hear this recipe turned out for you, thanks for making it! Happy Wednesday!
Wanting to cook for my expectant daughter. Would it be best to freeze this after it’s made or at a different point?
Hi Linda,
You could definitely freeze this after it’s been made. Wishing your daughter all the best and congrats to you! xx
I wanted to like this but it didn’t land for me. Too much liquid and not enough taste.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
This is a repeat in my house and I just made it last night!! So good!!
Hey Maureen,
Amazing! So glad to hear this recipe is always enjoyed, I appreciate you making it so often!
Have a great week!
This turned out amazing! Rich and decadent, it definitely is a meal you want to set aside some time for if you are making other sides too. I used chicken thighs but I could see using chicken breast to lighten it up a bit and make it not as rich. Flavor incredibly tasty. Will make again for sure!
Hey Jessica, Fantastic! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Happy Sunday! xx
This recipe was just amazing. Very flavourful and a perfect Autumn supper. The longest part was cooking all the chicken cutlets which is ok, I used Italian prosciutto from a specialty shop. Also used a “Gruyere de Grottes” since I thought this recipe deserved the best. Well worth it ; as this Gruyere brings out fruit and salt crystals. Amazing. Definitely a do over and keeper recipe. Thank you!
Hey Dominic, Happy Friday! I’m so glad to hear you loved the recipe, thanks so much for making it! xT
I have made this three times in the last few months and it is great! The prep for the recipe is longer since you need to cut up the onion, garlic, thyme, sage and apple but it really is worth it! Be careful how much salt you add at first since I added a bit too much the first time. Enjoy!
Hey Judy,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for giving it a try! xxT