One-Skillet Apple Cider Chicken with Butternut Squash

Name: One-Skillet Apple Cider Chicken with Butternut Squash
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb Boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 tsp Kosher salt — plus more to taste; 1/2 tsp Black pepper — freshly cracked; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 2 tbsp Unsalted butter; 1 Red onion — cut into thick wedges; 3 cups Butternut squash — peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes; 2 Apples — Honeycrisp or Gala, cored and cut into wedges; 3 Garlic cloves — minced; 1 tsp Ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg; 1/4 tsp Ground cloves; 1 tsp Fresh thyme leaves — chopped; 1 cup Apple cider — not vinegar; 1 tbsp Maple syrup; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar; Fresh thyme sprigs — for garnish (optional)

by Unknown

Prep: 15 minCook: 35 minTotal: 50 min4 servings0 forks

Juicy chicken thighs braise in spiced apple cider with tender butternut squash and red onion — a cozy one-pan fall dinner with a glossy, maple-touched pan sauce.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb Boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp Kosher salt — plus more to taste
1/2 tsp Black pepper — freshly cracked
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Unsalted butter
1 Red onion — cut into thick wedges
3 cups Butternut squash — peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 Apples — Honeycrisp or Gala, cored and cut into wedges
3 Garlic cloves — minced
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground cloves
1 tsp Fresh thyme leaves — chopped
1 cup Apple cider — not vinegar
1 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
Fresh thyme sprigs — for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1Season the chicken thighs all over with the salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2Sear the chicken until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate — it will finish cooking in the sauce.
3Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Sauté the red onion and butternut squash for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just starting to soften. Add the apple wedges and cook 2 minutes more.
4Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and chopped thyme; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
5Pour in the apple cider, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.
6Nestle the chicken back into the skillet. Simmer gently, spooning sauce over the chicken, until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender, 12–15 minutes (internal temperature 165°F). The sauce should be glossy and slightly thickened; if it is too thin, simmer 2–3 minutes longer with the chicken removed.
7Taste and adjust salt, garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve straight from the skillet.

Recipe Lineage

The family tree of this recipe — trace every fork back to the original.

One-Skillet Apple Cider Chicken with Butternut SquashCurrent