French Apple Cider Chicken
Tender chicken thighs braised in a tangy apple cider sauce with crispy bacon, mushrooms, and fresh thyme.
Ingredients
Chicken & Bacon
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 bacon slices chopped
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Sauce
- 1 onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 0.5 lb mushrooms sliced
- 2 apples cored and sliced
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
Chicken & Bacon
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Place chicken skin-side down and cook 8–10 minutes until golden and crackling, then flip and cook 5 more minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add bacon to the pan and cook 3 minutes until crisp.
Sauce
- Stir in onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms and apples; cook 5 minutes until mushrooms shrink and apples caramelize.
- Pour in apple cider, scraping up browned bits; simmer and reduce for 3 minutes.
- Stir in heavy cream and thyme, then nestle chicken back in.
- Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F.
Notes
Testing Note: Let the chicken rest under foil for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce naturally and keep the skin crisp.
Storage Note: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently, adding a splash of cider or cream if the sauce thickens too much.
Pro Tip: For extra-crispy skin, finish under a hot broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
Nutrition
Serving: 300gCalories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 12g
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