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One Pot Cider Braised Chicken with Caramelized Onions. Slow-cooked chicken in apple cider with fresh herbs, sweet caramelized onions, and mushrooms. If you’re looking for a cozy fall meal to make, start with this saucy braised chicken. All made in one pot, simple to put together, and totally delicious. Serve with warm bread and a side of wild rice and say hello to cozy fall nights.
Fall starts on Thursday, but per usual our fall here in the mountains has fully set in. Most of you know that we’ve had some chillier days and our leaves are beginning to show pretty shades of yellow and orange.
I love every bit of it and am trying my best to soak in the season. For us, here in the mountains, it will be gone in the blink of an eye. Our fall is fast and furious, warm days, chilly nights, and always beautiful.
I’m embracing the shorter days and colder nights with cozy dinners. Every year like clockwork, I make some sort of braised chicken. But this one is special and hands down my favorite of the bunch. It’s the onions combined with sweet, spiced apple cider. The pair together really do make for a wonderful saucy chicken.
Ingredients
- Chicken
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Salted butter
- Yellow onions
- Apple cider
- Sliced mushrooms
- Garlic
- Chopped fresh thyme
- Chicken broth or dry white wine
The story is pretty simple.
I based the recipe pretty closely off my cider braised short ribs. We absolutely loved that short rib recipe last year. I made it multiple times throughout the fall and winter. But it’s still September and the days just don’t require short rib dinners yet.
I wanted something a little lighter and a little quicker cooking for weeknights.
Of course, the thought to swap-in chicken came to mind pretty quickly and sounded delicious. I changed up a few things, adding mushrooms into the mix, and using a quicker cooking method.
It’s truly wonderful and so simple to make.
The details
Start with the chicken. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts. My family is pickier and will not eat the skin. Though I’m sure it would add a lot of flavor to the dish!
Dredge the chicken through some flour, then give it a sear in a big, oven-safe pan. I only sear one side of the chicken since we just need one side crispy for the oven.
Pull the chicken out, add some butter, then toss on the onions. Start to slowly cook the onions down. I like to add a splash of apple cider to help the onions cook down a little quicker.
When the onions have reached a light gold color, toss in the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and sage. I let the mushrooms cook for a minute, then pour over the remaining cider and wine. If you don’t drink wine, chicken broth is a great substitute.
I usually add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, then transfer the whole dish to the oven to braise low and slow.
Now I cooked this at 400 for a quicker time, but you can definitely reduce the heat to 325° and cook for 1-2 hours for a real low and slow braise. Either works great, it just depends on how much time you have.
I’ve been serving this with a side of homemade beer bread and wild rice pilaf – so good!
You must make the beer bread, it’s delicious with the savory-sweet cider pan sauce.
This is a wonderful Monday night dinner that’s easy enough for any night of the week. It’s certainly sure to become a family favorite. I can’t wait for Creighton to try this, I know he will love it.
Looking for other slow-cooked fall recipes? Here are a few ideas:
30 Minute Coconut Milk Braised Chicken
Healthier 30 Minute Beer Braised Chicken
Autumn Braised Chicken Escabèche with Roasted Apples and Grapes
Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions
Red Wine Cranberry Braised Short Ribs
Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Rib Pasta
Slow Cooker Coq au Vin with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Lastly, if you make this Cider Braised Chicken with Caramelized Onions, 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!
Cider Braised Chicken with Caramelized Onions
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 421 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken, thighs or breasts
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 4 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
Instructions
Stove-Top
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then rub with flour to coat. Heat a large oven-safe skillet with sides over high heat, and sear the chicken on 1 side. Remove the chicken to a plate. 3. Add the butter and onions and cook 5 minutes, until softened. Add a 1/2 cup apple cider, season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking another 5-8 minutes, until the cider has evaporated and the onions are lightly golden. Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and sage, then add the chicken back to the pot. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups cider, and wine. Roast for 30 minutes or until the chicken is falling apart. Watch the sauce, if it begins to thicken too much, cover the dish. 3. Serve the chicken with wild rice pilaf and bread. Drizzle with any remaining pan sauce and onions. Enjoy!
Crockpot
- 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then rub with flour to coat. Heat a large Dutch Oven over high heat, and sear the chicken on 1 side.2. To the bowl of your crockpot, add the butter and onions, then place the chicken over the onions. Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, sage, apple cider, and wine. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. 3. Serve the chicken with wild rice pilaf and bread. Drizzle with any remaining pan sauce and onions. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on September 19, 2022
Tasteless. I am going to ask AI to help me turn the leftovers into something more flavorful, such as a pot pie.
Very sorry to hear this, thanks for trying the dish and sharing your feedback!
Made on the stove-top. Delicious recipe! Tons of flavor.
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for trying this dish and your comment! Have a great Thursday!
Hi! I’m excited to try this recipe for company I have coming. Would you adjust anything for chicken leg quarters? I was planning on doing it in the slow cooker. Thanks!
Hey Jess,
That sounds like a great idea! I would cook on low for 8 hours. I hope you love this dish!
Wonderful for fall! So yummy! Pairs well with the Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash and Rosemary Salted Popovers recipes.
Hey Sandra,
Love to hear this! Thank you so much for making this recipe and your feedback.
Have a great weekend!
If I don’t have a crockpot but want to just slow cook this in the oven – what temp and for how long would you suggest?
Hi Paige,
You can follow the stove-top instructions written above:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Any modifications needed for chicken breast to make sure it’s tender and not dry?
Hi Erin,
You can follow the recipe as written, it should be great! I hope you love this dish!
I’d like to make this in a large dutch oven for 7 people. How should I alter the cooking time/heat? How different is cooking in a dutch oven than in a cast iron pan?
Hi Alice,
Are you going to change the recipe at all? I would keep the oven temp and time the same regardless:) I hope you love this dish!
I am cooking it in a dutch oven now, and due to the higher walls it is taking much longer to thicken. Still the consistency of soup after 30 min sadly.
I’d like to scale this recipe for 12-14 and bake in the oven in foil pans. I’ll be using skin on chicken thighs. Any suggestions? Thanks Tieghan!
Hi Cathy,
You can use the serving size scale above the ingredient list to adjust all of the measurements for you. I think this will work nicely in the foil pans once you have finished the stove top portion. I hope this helps!
It is delicious, tip, cook the onions, a little bit longer to get them caramelized. Another tip make sure that you pound the chicken to tenderize it before you cook it. I love the fresh thyme and Sage in this dish.
Thanks so much, Kathy! Love to hear this dish turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it!