Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
This Cider Braised Chicken recipe has everything you want in a fall meal! Flavorful chicken seasoned with dried thyme, sauteed apples, and a deliciously creamy apple cider sauce! This simple and easy fall dinner recipe is SCD, Paleo, Whole30, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, and has no added sugar.
Chicken is a staple in my household and it's always exciting when we have a new and delicious way to eat it!
The apple cider chicken is seasoned to perfection with herbs and spices before being seared on both sides until golden brown.
It's then nestled among sauteed apple slices and a creamy apple cider cashew sauce while it finishes cooking in the oven.
The end result is a moist and flavorful cider braised chicken dish that has the taste of fall in every bite!
How to make the apple cider cashew cream
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is preparing the cashews, since they need to be soaked for 6 hours.
You might be tempted to skip this part, but don't!
Soaking the cashews makes them easier to digest and easier to blend.
Place the cashews in a bowl and fill with fresh water until the cashews are submerged. Leave on the counter to soak for 6 hours.
Drain the cashews, rinse with fresh water, and drain again. They'll look swollen and feel very soft.
Transfer to a high speed blender along with the apple cider and blend until smooth.
You may need to use a taper while blending or stop and scrape down the sides of the jar a couple times.
Your apple cider cashew cream is now ready!
Tip
If you're running short on time and have an Instant Pot, simple place the cashews and 1 cup of fresh water into the pressure cooker.
Pressure cook for 2 minutes and then immediately release the pressure. The cashews will be fork tender!
Drain and rinse the cashew before continuing on with the rest of the recipe.
Chicken ingredients
Apples - I suggest using a sweeter apple that will still hold its shape when sauteed and baked. I used Gala, but Fuji is also a good choice.
Chicken - If your chicken breasts are on the thicker side, use a sharp knife and carefully slice the breasts horizontally to create thin cutlets.
Apple Cider - The only ingredients listed on the bottle should be apples. Please note that we are using apple cider in this recipe, NOT apple cider vinegar!
Cashew Cream - This can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
Directions
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until glistening.
Add thinly sliced apples to the skillet and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender. Remove from the skillet and set aside (photo 1).
If needed, add a dash more olive oil to the skillet and add the diced onions. Cook until soft, and then remove from the skillet and set aside (photo 2).
While the apples and onions are sautéing, prepare your chicken.
Pat both sides of the chicken breasts dry before generously seasoning with salt, pepper, and dried thyme.
Once the onions have been removed from the skillet, add a bit more oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, a drop of water dropped into the skillet should sizzle, add the chicken carefully to the skillet making sure they don't touch.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes before flipping the chicken over (photo 3). The chicken is ready to be flipped when it's easily loosened from the pan.
If the chicken is sticking, allow to cook for an additional minute or two before trying again.
Cook the other side of the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes before removing from the pan and setting aside.
Drop the heat to medium before adding the garlic to the pan and cooking for about one minute, just until fragrant.
Pour the apple cider into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any little bits of brown from the bottom of the pan.
Add the sauteed onions and cashew cream to the pan and stir until well combined (photos 4 and 5).
Once the liquid begins to bubble, turn off the heat and place the chicken and sauteed apples back into the skillet (photo 6).
Place the skillet on the center rack of a preheated oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part of the chicken reads 165F.
If you'd like, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve hot, making sure to drizzle some of the apple cider sauce onto each chicken breast!
What should I serve with cider braised chicken?
There are so many delicious sides that pair beautifully with this apple cider chicken recipe!
Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower is always a big hit, but if your system can handle dairy, then my Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower is equally tasty!
Steamed broccoli or sauteed green beans are great options, so is this Shaved Brussles Sprouts with Bacon recipe!
Here are more healthy chicken recipes you'll love!
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below!This is the best way you can help support me and my blog!
Follow meonfacebookandinstagram. Tag @thehealthierbite and #thehealthierbite so I can see your yummy creations!
Did you know I havea YouTube channel?SUBSCRIBEto watch all of my recipe videos!
NOTE: If following the SCD diet, I suggest contacting the company to verify ingredients before using any prepackaged products.
This recipe was originally published in January 2020. It was completely revised with a new recipe, text, and photos on September 23, 2023.
Recipe
Cider Braised Chicken
by: Jennifer Brown
This Cider Braised Chicken recipe has everything you want in a fall meal! Flavorful chicken seasoned with dried thyme, sauteed apples, and a deliciously creamy apple cider sauce! This simple and easy fall dinner recipe is SCD, Paleo, Whole30, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, and has no added sugar.
Prep Time 8 minutes mins
Cook Time 28 minutes mins
Cashew Cream 6 hours hrs
Course dinner, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 212 kcal
Ingredients
Apple Cider Cashew Cream
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ¼ cup apple cider NOT apple cider vinegar
Chicken
- 2 Gala or Fuji apples thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large onion thinly sliced
- 4 thin boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 teaspoons fine sea salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup apple cider NOT apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Apple Cider Cashew Cream
IMPORTANT! The cashews need to soak for 6 hours. Please see the notes below!
Place the cashews in a large bowl and fill with fresh water until the cashew are submerged. Allow to soak for 6 hours.
Drain the cashews, rinse with clean water, and drain once more.
Place the cashews in the jar of a high speed blender along with the ¼ cup of apple cider and blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to use a tamper to help facilitate blending. If you don't have a tamper, you may need to stop blending to scrape down the sides of the jar.
Chicken
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the sliced apples and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender. Remove the apples from the skillet and set aside.
If needed, add a bit more oil to the skillet and sauté the diced onions, stirring occasionally, until golden and soft. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 350F.
While the apples and onions are cooking, prepare the chicken breasts. If the breasts are thick, use a sharp filet knife to carefully slice the chicken in half horizontally to make thin cutlets. You can also place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to hit and roll the chicken until thin.
Pat the chicken dry, then generously season both sides of the breasts with the 2 teaspoons of the salt and all of the pepper and dried thyme.
Once the onions have been removed from the pan, add a little more oil and once hot (a drop of water added to the pan should sizzle), carefully place the chicken into the skillet, making sure they don't overlap.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the chicken can be easily loosened from the skillet. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Drop the heat to medium and cook the garlic for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
Pour the apple cider into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to gently scrape up any brown bits that are stuck to the pan.
Add the onions, cashew cream and remaining teaspoon of salt to the pan. Stir until well combined.
Once the mixture begins to bubble, turn off the heat and place the chicken back into the skillet. Arrange the sauteed apples on top and around the chicken breasts.
Place the skillet on the center rack of your preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165F.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve hot along with the sliced apples. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Notes
The cashew cream can be made up to 2 days in advance.
If running short on time, place the cashews along with 1 cup of water into an Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 2 minutes. Immediately release the pressure. Follow the remaining recipe directions to drain, rinse, and bland the cashews.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The calories calculated in the recipe are an estimate. The photos and content above are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos. Please do not copy this recipe and share it on your own website or social media channels. If you wish to tell people about this recipe, you can provide a link back to my blog rather than copying the recipe. Thank you! XO, Jen
Nutrition
Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1752mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 57IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg
Keyword apple, chicken breast, fall
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how it was by leaving a comment and star rating below!
