Description
Autumn chicken brings warmth and comfort straight to your dinner table, with simple ingredients and minimal cleanup. Roasted seasonal vegetables join tender chicken pieces in one delightful pan that makes weeknight cooking surprisingly easy.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 apples
Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Supporting Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Thoroughly dry 4 bone-in chicken thighs using paper towels, then generously coat both sides with 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and 2 teaspoons chopped sage.
- Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a skillet, heating over medium-high until the surface shimmers with heat.
- Position chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot skillet, pressing gently to ensure maximum contact. Sear for 6 minutes at 375°F, creating a golden, crispy exterior.
- Flip chicken thighs and cook the opposite side for an additional 5 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
- Core 2 large firm apples and slice into ½-inch thick chunks, preparing them for caramelization.
- Transfer chicken to a separate plate, leaving behind the delicious rendered fat in the skillet.
- Drop apple chunks into the same skillet, cooking at 350°F for 9 minutes and stirring occasionally to develop caramelized edges.
- Return chicken thighs to the skillet, nestling them among the softened apple pieces. Add 1 tablespoon butter if desired.
- Reduce heat to 325°F, covering the skillet loosely and allowing everything to simmer for 12 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- Uncover and increase heat to 400°F for 2 minutes, re-crisping the chicken skin until it sounds softly sizzling.
- Remove from heat, taste the sauce, and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with additional fresh sage if you prefer.
Notes
- Pat the chicken thighs completely dry to ensure extra crispy skin that develops a beautiful golden-brown color during searing.
- Choose firm baking apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp that hold their shape and provide a nice balance of tartness to the rich chicken.
- Consider swapping chicken thighs with chicken breasts, but reduce cooking time to prevent drying out the meat and maintain tenderness.
- For a gluten-free version, verify all ingredients are certified gluten-free and use alternative herbs or seasonings as needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 34 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 365 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg