This recipe is a dish that I came up with last fall when in-season apple cider was constantly in our fridge and I bought a big bottle of the good pure maple syrup that I wanted to use up. Skillet chicken thighs with apple cider pan sauce is the kind of dinner that feels a little fancy but is completely doable on a weeknight. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are lightly dredged in cornstarch and pan-seared until golden and crisp, then finished with a simple pan sauce. The result is juicy, flavorful chicken with a sweet and savory sauce that comes together in one skillet and pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes, rice, or veggies. My kids love this one and request it often! Scroll the post below for some extra tips!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – see note below about subbing different cuts of chicken.
- Corn Starch
- Kosher salt and Black Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Olive Oil or other oil of choice
- Chicken broth
- Apple Cider – not apple cider vinegar. What you want here is the good, fresh apple cider. It should look cloudy and thick in the bottle, not clear like apple juice. Where I live, this is usually sold in grocery stores from early fall through winter.
- Dijon Mustard
- Real Maple Syrup– this is an application where you’ll want to use pure maple syrup. In the fall I usually buy a bottle and use it in recipes throughout the season!
How to Make Apple Cider Glazed Chicken Thighs
- You’ll start by seasoning your chicken and then dredging it very lightly in cornstarch. The cornstarch does double-duty helping the chicken to brown and develop a beautiful crust, and then it will also slightly thicken the pan sauce at the end as well.
- After the chicken is done cooking, you’ll remove it onto a plate and use the same pan to create a quick sauce/glaze. It’s just chicken broth, apple cider, a touch of dijon mustard and a drizzle of real maple syrup. I also like to add a sprig of rosemary (it adds an amazing flavor component to the sauce), but if you don’t have any, you can leave it out!
- Simmering this quick sauce reduces it and intensifies the flavors. At the end you’ll add a couple pats of butter and whisk it up into a smooth and glossy sauce.
- Return the chicken to the pan and coat everything in the sauce and you’re ready to serve.
- We love this with something like mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the extra pan sauces. Add a quick veggie on the side and dinner is served!
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken thighs are definitely my favorite for this recipe, but you can sub chicken breasts (or tenders) if you like. They usually cook faster and are leaner than chicken thighs. If substituting, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness for even cooking. They will release less fat and a little more moisture, so your sauce may not be quite as rich, and a little thinner.
If you don’t have cornstarch, all-purpose flour works as a substitute, though the coating will be a bit less crisp. You can also skip dredging altogether and just season the chicken, just note that the sauce will be slightly thinner.
This dish is best served fresh, but leftovers reheat well. Store cooked chicken and any leftover pan sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove top or in the microwave.
As written this recipe is gluten-free, since cornstarch is used instead of flour. Just double-check that your dijon mustard and broth are certified gluten free if needed.
Skillet Chicken Thighs with Apple Cider Pan Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs 6-8 thighs, depending on size. Avoid having them crowded in the pan.
- ½ cup cornstarch approximate. You'll just use this for light dredging.
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup apple cider (NOT vinegar) the cloudy fresh style
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary optional but recommended
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Pat chicken completely dry and sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Gently pan seasoning in so it sticks. Tip: I think it's helpful to combine all the spices in a small bowl first and then sprinkle them evenly on both sides of chicken.
- Place cornstarch in a shallow dish. Gently dredge each chicken breast lightly in cornstarch. You don't need it completely covered, just a light dusting is great. Gently shake off excess.
- Heat a 12" skillet to medium heat. Add olive oil to hot skillet and swirl to coat pan. It's important that your pan is hot before you coat with oil. This will prevent sticking! Place chicken evenly spaced in pan and do not disturb or flip. Cook until chicken starts noticeably shrinking and you can see the cooked side creeping onto the top side of chicken, about 10-12 minutes. If chicken is cooking faster than this and getting too brown, turn down heat a little. The bottom side should be golden and browned before flipping. Tip: If your chicken is sticking, it's probably not ready to flip yet! Flip chicken thighs and cook remaining side until internal temperature reaches about 180℉. (If using chicken breast, cook until 165℉).
- Remove chicken and set on a plate, cover with foil to keep warm. In your same pan, add broth, apple cider, maple syrup, dijon, and mustard. Whisk/stir, scraping up the browned bits from your pan. Bring mixture to a low simmer and drop in the sprig of rosemary. Cook until sauce reduces by about ⅓-½. Sauce should thicken slightly. Turn heat to low and whisk in the butter until glossy.
- Return chicken to pan and flip a few times to cover in glaze. You can turn the heat back up and simmer for a minute if you'd like to continue thickening the sauce and warming the chicken. We love this served over rice or potatoes to soak up the extra sauce.
Questions & Reviews
I made this tonight with the balsamic Brussel sprouts! My family loved it. I am skeptical about chicken thighs, but I used them and it was perfect. Highly recommend!