Fall Harvest Cider Roasted Chicken with Walnut Goat Cheese + Grapes.

Think roast chicken… but fall-forward and a little fancy with zero fuss. We roast chicken in apple cider until it’s glossy and tender, toss in bursty grapes, then finish with creamy goat cheese and crunchy walnuts.

It’s that perfect sweet–savory balance for chilly nights—no complicated steps, just a skillet, good aromas, and a sauce you’ll want to mop up with bread.

Clearly, I NEEDED to start off autumn with a roasted chicken. It’s just the quintessential fall thing to do. When I was a kid roasted chicken was my mom’s thing. It was one of the handful of dinners she would make, and she’d only make it on a Sunday night. She’d do all the prep for the chicken, roast it, check it, baste it, add more butter… Dad would make the rice, and possibly some kind of green, but I must admit, the greens were kind of scarce.

SIDE NOTE: Dad used to ALWAYS eat salad every night for dinner, no matter what he was making us kids. He’d literally mow giant bowls of salad for dinner…the rest of just weren’t into that. Since I started cooking (and making food other than chicken and rice) dad has changed his ways, but he still loves a good salad.

Mom would always attempt to make bread in her bread machine…but most of the time she’d start the bread at like five or six and with a four-hour cooking time, the bread was normally served after dinner, but before dessert. Either that or she’d throw loaf of bread in the oven from the store, BUT, there was an 85% chance she’d burn the bread. I am not trying to be harsh on her, but she is notorious for burning bread and or starting it way too late, and she’ll fully admit to it too. It’s just mom and we all love her for it.

Anyway, I think my point in all this was, that to me, a roasted chicken symbolizes fall and family dinners. It’s such a loved meal for me solely for that reason. Well that and I swear, no one makes a roasted chicken better than my mom. Her secret? Salt, pepper, chicken broth, Vegata seasoning and umm, butter.

Butter is a must, you knew that one was coming. She made it simple, but GOOD.

I kind of fancified her chicken a bit though and stuffed a whole bunch of goat cheese and fresh herbs under that chicken skin. Oh my gosh, I know. WHAT!

Yes, I somehow found a way to add cheese to a classic like roasted chicken. I think I have issues.

WHATEVER. Everyone’s got issues. I can deal with it. Cheese rules, especially goat cheese. So it’s totally cool.

I still kept the actual process of roasting the chicken simple and easy. I know the title sounds kind of fancy, but it’s really not, it’s a simple, easy meal to make for your family… or maybe even just for one. Then you can just eat the leftovers all week long. YUM!

You’ve got the goat cheese stuffed under that skin. You also have some caramelized walnuts, sage and just a little rosemary in there too. From there you just rub the chicken with a little olive oil, salt + pepper. Oh, and butter…of course.

Then throw some grapes in a roasting pan and place the chicken on top of the grapes and roast away! Don’t be weirded out by the roasted grapes. They’re kind of my new favorite thing!! I love, love, love using grapes in a savory way like this and the flavors pair so perfectly with the flavors from the chicken + goat cheese. It’s kind of magical. <–Truth.

OH! And one of the most important parts is the apple cider. You know how some people baste their chicken with chicken broth? Or maybe you don’t baste your chicken, I don’t know, but today we are basting our chicken in a reduced apple cider sauce. It’s sweet and makes for the most perfect, golden caramelized skin. If you’re a lover of the skin (which oddly not a single soul in my family is), than you will LOVE this little step.

Plus, it really helps to keep the chicken moist and tie in all those awesome fall flavors!

FAQ:

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of cider?
No—use drinking apple cider (or apple juice in a pinch). Vinegar is too sharp and will overwhelm the sauce.

How do I keep the chicken skin crispy with the sauce?
Roast grapes and sauce around—not over—the chicken, and reduce sauce separately if needed. Broil 1–2 minutes at the end to re-crisp if it softens.

What sides pair best?
Creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or a wild rice blend soak up the cider sauce. Add a simple fall salad to balance the richness.

Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes—finish the sauce with olive oil instead of butter and skip the goat cheese. The walnuts still give great crunch and contrast.