Tender pieces of chicken simmered in a sweet-and-savory apple cider cream sauce, with caramelized mushrooms and golden-buttery apples. This comforting dish fills the house with the warm aromas of autumn and makes for a cozy, satisfying dinner.
This recipe takes a bit of time, but the steps are straightforward and relaxing—like slipping into your favorite sweater. The unhurried process yields a dish that feels restorative after a long week.
xo
– Rebecca
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Step-by-step photos and instructions
Sprinkle salt on both sides of the chicken pieces, place them on a plate, and refrigerate uncovered for 3 to 12 hours. This dry-brining step seasons the chicken throughout.
Pour 3 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil. Reduce until it concentrates to 1 cup, then set aside.
Heat butter and oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown chicken pieces on all sides in batches until golden; remove and set aside.
Add sliced mushrooms to the pan, toss in the remaining fat, season lightly with salt, and cook until they’re nicely caramelized. If the pan becomes dry, add more butter.
Remove mushrooms and add sliced apples to the pan. Cook until they begin to brown and are tender-crisp.
Remove the apples and sauté chopped onion and garlic with a pinch of salt until the onion is just starting to brown.
Add the apple cider reduction to the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Stir in herbs, mushrooms, cream, stock, and the browned chicken.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over low-medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20–30 minutes depending on piece size. Remove the chicken and herb bundle, taste and adjust seasoning, then return the apples and simmer briefly to thicken the sauce. Reintroduce the chicken and serve.
What to serve with chicken and apples
This skillet of chicken and apples pairs beautifully with flaky buttermilk biscuits or thick slices of crusty bread to soak up the creamy sauce. If you bake bread, yeast-raised dinner rolls are a lovely choice.
A simple salad also complements the dish. Favorites include Israeli salad or a jicama-apple salad for a second hit of apple flavor.
For dessert, consider finishing with warm apple cobbler or a buttery French apple crumb cake to keep the apple theme going.
A few more cozy favorites to add to your must-make list:
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Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole
-
Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie
-
Spanish Seared Pork Bites with Fried Apples
-
Butternut Squash Pansotti in Brown Butter Sage Sauce
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to leave a comment and rate it.
📖 Recipe
Chicken and Apples with Mushrooms in Cider Cream Sauce
Tender chicken pieces in a rich apple cider cream sauce with caramelized mushrooms and buttery apples—an ideal fall supper.
1 hour 10 minutes
30 minutes
3 hours
4 hours 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 three- to four-pound whole chicken, chopped into 6–8 pieces — or 3–4 pounds of skin-on, bone-in pieces (split breasts used in photos)
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups apple cider
- 4 tablespoons butter (plus more if the pan looks dry)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 16 ounces mushrooms, any variety
- 2 apples, any variety (Honeycrisp used here)
- 3 medium to large cloves garlic
- 1 small to medium yellow onion
- 10–12 sprigs fresh herbs tied into a bundle (thyme, sage, rosemary)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or broth
Instructions
- Generously salt both sides of the chicken pieces and refrigerate uncovered on a plate for 3 to 12 hours to season thoroughly.
- Bring 3 cups apple cider to a rolling boil in a small saucepan and reduce until 1 cup remains. Set aside.
- Melt butter with oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown a few pieces of chicken at a time until golden on both sides. Remove and repeat until all pieces are browned.
- Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp towel and slice about 1/2 inch thick. Add to the pan, toss in the fat, season with a little salt, and cook until golden and caramelized. Add more butter if needed.
- Slice apples into 1/2–1 inch pieces and cook in the pan after removing mushrooms, stirring occasionally until they begin to brown and are tender-crisp.
- Remove apples and sauté chopped onion and garlic with a pinch of salt until the onion just begins to brown.
- Add the apple cider reduction, scraping up any brown bits. Stir in a pinch of black pepper, the herb bundle, mushrooms, cream, stock, and the browned chicken.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently until the chicken registers 165°F internally or shows no pink, about 20–30 minutes depending on thickness.
- Remove the chicken and herb bundle. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning. Return the apples to the pan, raise heat, and boil uncovered for about 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Add the chicken back to the sauce and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 1108Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 360mgSodium: 975mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 5gSugar: 31gProtein: 122g
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