Description
A cozy autumn dinner featuring crispy, juicy chicken thighs glazed in a sweet and tangy maple-Dijon sauce with caramelized apples, ready in under 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 medium apples (Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith), sliced into wedges
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh chopped parsley or chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Slice apples into 1/2-inch wedges. Mince garlic and measure maple syrup and mustard.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 6-7 minutes until golden brown.
- Flip chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add apple wedges and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and colored.
- Add minced garlic, thyme, and Dijon mustard to the skillet. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in maple syrup and chicken broth. Scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Return chicken to the skillet, nestling into apples and sauce. Spoon sauce over chicken.
- Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
Use firm apples like Honeycrisp or Gala that hold their shape. Avoid Red Delicious. Ensure pure maple syrup is used, not pancake syrup. Let chicken rest after searing to retain juices. If sauce is too thin, simmer longer or add a cornstarch slurry. For dairy-free, swap butter for olive oil.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: fall recipes, maple chicken, dijon mustard, chicken thighs, autumn dinner, one-pan meal, comfort food, apple chicken