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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.
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!
Made this tonight with chicken thighs and served it over brown rice. Absolutely lovely. I backed off a bit on the cider but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Next time I might double the sage because sage screams fall to me and I love it.
Hey Cari,
I am so glad to hear that this recipe was tasty for you and appreciate you giving it a try! xxT
I can’t find apple cider where we live, what can i substitute. This recipe looks fabulous.
Hey Genevieve,
You could use apple juice! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Does most of the sugar cook from the apple cider cook off?
Sugar does not cook off… ever. You can cook it until it breaks down into carbon and water, but who wants burnt onions.
Hi there,
I’m not sure the sugar really “cooks off”, you are still going to get a touch of sweetness. Please let me know if you give this dish a try! xTieghan
If you guys look at her “details” she said she uses boneless thighs or boneless breasts.
Always read her details, it helps 🙂
Lol thanks Jayne:)
Hi ! Hoping to hear if it’s bone in or boneless …. ?
Thanks !
Hey Shirley,
I used boneless chicken for this recipe! I hope this turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Is the chicken bone in?
Hi there,
Nope, I used boneless chicken:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
Looks delicious! Quick question for those of you who have already tried this recipe: did you use skinless or skin on chicken pieces? Thanks!
Hi Ingrid,
For this recipe, I used skinless chicken. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this dish! xTieghan
I see instructions for stove-top and crockpot, but do you think this could be done in the Instant Pot as well?
Just tried it in mine and turned out great. Just use little less sider/wine mix
Great! Did you just put everything in at the same time and time it to cook the chicken?
Awesome!! Thanks Clara!
Hey Evelyn,
Sure, I would sauté the onions a bit first and then cook on high pressure for 18 minutes. I hope you love this dish! xT
Healthy fall meal !! Saving this to my recipe box and will be in my meal planning for next week! Thanks a lot !!
Thanks so much Virginie! I hope you love the recipe!! xT
Sounds perfect for fall!
Could I make this in my dutch oven (for the stove top directions vs a high skillet)?
That’s what I was wondering too. I think I’m just going to try it in the Dutch oven and see what happens. Can’t imagine it would make much of a difference.
Right! Let me know how it goes for you if so! ?
The dutch oven will be great to use!!
Hi Corrianne,
You bet, that would work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Looks great, can’t wait to try it. The usual question – substitute suggestions for the mushrooms? Usually I use broccoli, and that seems like it would work for the stovetop version, but what about the crock pot? thanks!
I’m wondering the same thing about the mushrooms. It’s one vegetable I can’t tolerate even in the smallest amount. With a lot of recipes, you can sub zucchini for mushrooms, but it doesn’t seem like that or broccoli would be good in this recipe. I think it’s best just to leave this one alone. I’m passing on this one!
I think zucchini would be great!
Hey Kara,
Sure, broccoli would be great, same with brussels sprouts or cauliflower! I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
If you like eggplant, that is a great substitute.
Is it apple cider vinegar or apple cider the juice?
Definitely the juice!! Can you imagine that much vinegar? I remember a commenter made that mistake on the apple cider braised short ribs. That has to have been so disappointing!
Yes, it’s apple cider, not vinegar:)
Hi Lauren,
The recipe calls for apple cider, not apple cider vinegar:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xT
No rating yet, but looks delicious. Can you use boneless skinless chicken?
Hi Kathy,
You bet! I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you! Let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Shouldn’t there be oil or butter in skillet when searing?
Sure, that is great to use!!
This looks like a wonderful Fall dish. Do you think it would work with hard apple cider instead of the non-alcoholic cider and wine?
Hi Carol,
For this recipe, I would use the 2 cups of cider and then the 1 cup of broth or wine:) You could try using a hard cider, but you will want to be sure to use a total of 3 cups of liquid. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Question on this part… Should it be started without a cover? Or with a cover? It says to cover and if the sauce thickens too much to cover it…
“Cover and roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until the chicken is falling apart. Watch the sauce, if it begins to thicken too much, cover the dish.”
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for pointing that out!! Don’t cover at first:) I will fix the wording! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan