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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!
I’m not so sure about the other comments, but we thought this was excellent! I did the stovetop/oven method and did it low and slow. I baked it at 350° (our oven runs cooler) for two hours. Yeah, there’s liquid in it, but I think that’s the point when you’re braising. We used a slotted spoon to serve and served it over a wild rice blend. Thanks for another excellent recipe!
Hey Lauren,
Perfect! Thanks a lot for making this dish and sharing you’re feedback, I’m so glad it turned out well for you! xx
Delicious and easy. I used chicken breasts and they turned out as soft as a rotisserie chicken with so much flavor ! I thought the sauce would be too sweet and get to be too much but I found myself scooping more. I made this with mashed potatoes but would’ve definitely been good with some bread too.
Hey Carly,
Happy Thursday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out! xx
Unfortunately I had the same experience as many others with this dish. It came out very watery and sauce was pale in color, the onions did not caramelize and the taste was pretty bland. Too bad I did not read the reviews beforehand because I probably would not have made this dish.
Patience is a virtue with this recipe but it is so worth it… delicious!!
Thanks so much for making this recipe Nikki!
Hi Alyssa,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Did you allow the onions time to caramelize? Eventually they will, they just need the time:) xx
Thanks for responding!!! Should the onions have been caramelized more on the stovetop prior to the dish going in the oven or should I have kept it in the oven longer. I put the dish in the oven for 45 minutes. Also, what about the liquid factor?
I would caramelize the onions more on the stove top:) The dish really isn’t meant to be thick, but you could always just reduce the liquid or let that simmer longer!
Loved this recipe! Modified and used chicken broth instead of wine. I loved adding the fresh herbs from my dad’s garden and made it over air fried potato wedges also from the garden. A cozy fall meal I will definitely make again.
Hi Cara,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review! xT
I wish I had read the reviews before making this. I made the crockpot version and followed the instructions exactly – my chicken is bland and the sauce is very watery. I love HBH but this one was certainly a disappointment.
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! Please let me know if I can help in any way! xx
I assume I did something wrong, but I tried the crockpot version of this and it wasn’t very good. It turned out extremely watery and I think that diluted the flavors quite a bit. I think maybe the 2 cups of cider is too much for the crockpot?
Hi Tori,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Sorry to hear it was watery. I tested this in the crockpot with 2 cups of cider and didn’t have any issues. You could always uncover and allow the sauce to simmer down a bit! xx
Once again way too much liquid in the recipe. It never cooked down. Happens a lot with your recipes .
Hi Lara,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. I’m wondering if you are allowing enough time for the liquid to cook down? Is your heat high enough? Let me know how I can help! xx
this recipe was a 5 star winner!
will try it again only using pork chops & subbing apples for mushrooms
removed chix & veg then reduced sauce just a bit & served with mashed potatoes & green salad
also made your apple butter recipe today-perfection!
you’re the best?!
thank you
Hi Mimi,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for trying it out! xx
This came out delicious! I followed the recipe pretty closely–using a crockpot and white wine. I couldn’t get fresh sage so I used the dried rubbed sage I had at home instead. I can see why others called it soupy but the liquid was full of flavor and I decided to thicken it up a little with cornstarch to make it easier to spoon over rice. A perfect early fall dinner! Next time I would reduce the amount of onions slightly and add more mushrooms. Thanks Tieghan!
Hi Melissa,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
This recipe was awesome… super cozy and seasonal. I used chicken thighs and white wine instead of broth which I think added a ton of flavor. I only used one onion because four seemed like a lot but could have afforded another one. I also broiled it for the last few minutes in the oven to give the chicken a nice crisp and simmered for a few minutes after the oven to cook off some of the liquid. So good!!!
Hey Taylor,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks so much for making it! xx
This was one of my only HBH recipes that didn’t work out. I used the crock pot and did the chicken broth. The onions didn’t caramelize, the chicken was pretty bland inside and it certainly didn’t have the right textures. I’d possibly try it in the pan, but have like 800 other HBH recipes I love, so I’ll probably cook those!
Hi Allison,
Thanks so much for trying this dish and sharing your review, I’m so sorry to hear it didn’t workout for you. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xT
Mine was way too soupy, losing the rich onion flavor. But i love the concept so next time will add apple cider or red wine vinegar for the acid it needs and maybe less cider itself. PS: I used chicken broth not wine— wine could give it the contrast it needs, too.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your review, sorry to hear you didn’t love it. Let me know if you give it another try! xx
Excellent! This was extremely popular. I’ll definitely be making this again.
I think this would also work quite well with pork chops.
Hi Adam,
Perfect! So glad to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for trying it out! xx
Chicken was crispy and perfectly cooked through. That’s the only thing positive I have to say. The onions were a soupy mess that resembled sauerkraut. I didn’t like the way it smelled.
Hi there,
So sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe. Was there anything you may have adjusted or anything that I can help with? Let me know! xx
I have to admit that after reading all the comments, I decided to change your recipe a bit because so many people said it was far too watery. First, I used some oil when searing the boneless chicken (thighs), which I did on both sides (and poured the excess oil out). Then, because four onions is such a gigantic amount of slices, I used more butter than called for to soften them, which took about 18 minutes, not 5. I simmered the dish on the stovetop rather than in the oven in the hope that some of the excess liquid would evaporate, which it did. The end result was delicious — with a sauce that wasn’t thick but wasn’t watery, either — and one I’ll be making again.
Hey Helen,
Happy Tuesday! Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing what worked well for you, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT