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31 Recipes to Cook in October.
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Apple Cider Smothered Chicken. Lightly seasoned chicken seared until golden with nutty browned butter, garlic, fresh thyme, and sage. The chicken is finished in a yummy apple cider pan sauce with caramelized buttered onions and melted Gruyère cheese. The chicken is “smothered” in sauce and then topped with crispy prosciutto and fresh thyme just before serving. It’s delicious, especially when served with a few slices of fresh bread, mashed potatoes, or a side of rice. Such a cozy one-pot dinner with delicious, comforting flavors.
I guess I’ve been saying this a lot lately, but this might just be one of my favorite recipes this fall. I’m not sure what’s going on with me, but my days have either been really great or really bad. The bad days are no fun, and I end up not using whatever recipe I’d been working on, but the good days are SO GOOD.
Every recipe coming up is a favorite. I guess I just love my fall recipes most—well, fall and, of course, all the special holiday recipes.
This is the best time of year!
I made this the other week, and I’m happy to finally share the recipe. The cider pan sauce that this chicken is smothered in is so delicious.
With caramelized onions and creamy, melty Gruyère cheese, it almost resembles French onion soup. But the slight sweetness from the cider makes it even better.
And the crispy prosciutto only makes this dish that much more delicious!
Here are the Details
Ingredients
- thinly sliced chicken breast or small chicken thighs
- all purpose flour
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- prosciutto
- salted butter
- yellow onions
- garlic
- fresh thyme and sage
- Honeycrisp apples
- apple cider (not apple cider vinegar)
- heavy cream
- Gruyère cheese
Tools
- oven-safe skillet – highly recommend cast iron
That’s all!
Step 1: season the chicken
Before you begin cooking, season and flour the chicken. Start with salt and pepper, then mix paprika, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a scoop of flour.
If you need to be gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free flour or an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.
Take the chicken cutlets and toss them in the flour to coat them fully. The flour creates a crispy chicken with a coating that will allow the sauce to really stick to it.
Step 2: cook the prosciutto and sear the chicken
Find a big skillet. I always use cast iron. Cook the prosciutto until extra crispy, then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Now add a sliver of butter and pan-sear the chicken until the crust is golden and the butter browns around it. Remove the chicken from the skillet. I usually put it on the same plate as the prosciutto.
Step 3: make the apple cider pan gravy
Now, add the onions. I use two thin slices, but you can use one or two, depending on your preference. I think apples and onions together are delicious.
Get the onions golden and caramelized. Then add the apple cider. Bonus points if you make your own cider or pick up a fresh batch from a local farm.
Let the cider simmer for 5 minutes, stir in the cream, and slide the chicken right in. Now add the apple wedges and let it simmer. The next step is important. Sprinkle over some Gruyère cheese and allow it to melt over the chicken and into the sauce—like French onion-style chicken!
Step 4: bake and finish
Take the skillet off the burners and put it in the oven to finish cooking and melt the cheese even more. When the cheese has melted, remove the dish from the oven.
Add the prosciutto to the top, then finish with fresh thyme. It’s going to look delish and smell even better.
Thanks to the onions, apples, and, of course, all the creamy sauce, I’ve been loving this with mashed potatoes. It’s so cozy and scrumptious on a fall night.
Also, a big fall salad like my harvest salad is the perfect final touch. If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, spaghetti squash is always a favorite of mine in the fall. It would go so well with this smothered chicken.
You can’t go wrong either way. The sauce makes just about anything you serve alongside it great. One thing that’s a must? A few slices of fresh bread are needed to mop up the extra sauce. You just have to do it! Of course, I love my beer bread, surprise, surprise!
Looking for other simple dinners? Here are my favorites:
Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice
Baked Chipotle Cheddar Sweet Potato Chowder
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
Herby Buttered Balsamic Mushroom Ravioli
Smothered Chicken in Mushroom Wine Pan Sauce
Lastly, if you make this Apple Cider Smothered Chicken, 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!
Apple Cider Smothered Chicken
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 435 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds thin-cut chicken breasts
- salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne
- 3 ounces prosciutto
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, sliced or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cut into wedges
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1/2-1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour, paprika, and cayenne in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken through the flour and toss to coat.2. Arrange the prosciutto in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy all over, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet.3. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and the chicken. Sear on both sides until golden, 3-5 minutes per side. Add 1 more tablespoon of butter and allow the butter to brown around the chicken, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet.3. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Add 2 tablespoons butter, garlic, thyme, sage, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onions have caramelized.4. Add the apple cider. Simmer for 5 minutes, pour in the cream. Add the chicken and apples to the skillet. Sprinkle over the Gruyère. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with crispy prosciutto and fresh herbs.5. Serve the chicken with crusty bread for mopping up all that delicious creamy sauce. YUM!
My grocery store didn’t have Gruyère cheese! What other cheese do you recommend?
Hi Caitlyn,
Swiss cheese and asiago would also be great options here. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Welp, I messed up and learned a way to not make this lol
I made this a few weeks ago and really liked it. And then yesterday, I had some leftover crunchy bread so decided to make it again.
Bought ingredients I didn’t have, cooked it up, started eating, and was like why is it so bitter?
Figured I must’ve overused or underused something and finished eating
Hours later in bed, I was like wait, did the recipe say apple cider or apple cider vinegar?
Hi Kevin,
Oh no!! So glad to hear you originally enjoyed this dish, but yes, definitely stick with the apple cider:) Thanks a lot for making it! Happy New Year!!🎆 xxT
Delicious, I didn’t have heavy cream used sour cream instead, turned out great
Thanks so much, Phyllis:) I am so glad to hear you loved this recipe, I appreciate you making it and sharing what worked well for you! Happy Monday! xT
What size cast iron skillet do you recommend for these types of meals?
Hi Carissa,
I like to use a 10 or 12 inch skillet. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Fantastic! I used more garlic to finish off the head I had, used half and half, unsalted butter, and served over simple mashed potatoes and argula salad with a lemon vinaigrette. Chef’s kiss!
**I haven’t had an HBH fail yet 😘
Thanks so much, Sharmila:) So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it! Have the best weekend! xx
This is the perfect balance of sweet and salty. This was amazing. I used chicken thighs so that it would be super soft and tender. AMAZING recipe.
Thanks so much, Kelly!! I am so glad to hear this recipe is always enjoyed, I appreciate you making it so often! Have a great Tuesday! xx
I have made this 3 times now! It is delicious and makes the house smell like fall. I have preferred making mashed potatoes with this dish because it pairs well with the sauce, but I would like to try a focaccia or a nicely toasted baguette.
Hey Lauren,
Happy Weekend! Thanks so much for trying this dish and your comment, love to hear it turned out nicely! xT
Delicious! There were a couple of substitutions, not because I wanted to change the recipe but because I had to. The mini mart was out of full cream (used 1/2& 1/2), the fresh sage did not end up in my grocery bag at home (ugh) and I only had smoked paprika on hand. The dish was still super yummy. I added farro as a side and I loved the earthy, chewy nuttiness that soaked up the sauce. I also made a butter lettuce salad with rustic croutons. The family loved it.
Hi Kim,
Happy Monday! I’m so glad you enjoyed this dish and appreciate you making it! Have a wonderful week! xxT
This recipe broke dinner, for real. So delicious
But I think you missed a play, throw the broiler on for a few minutes at the end to bubble the cheese and caramelise the apples a bit more
Lol thanks so much, Jason! Love to hear this dish was a hit! Great idea to use the broiler at the end, thanks for sharing that suggestion. Happy Sunday! xX
Really want to make this for our holidays coming up with the family. We do have one person who is dairy intolerant. Is there any possible way to make some adjustments to make it ok for her? Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated! 🫶🏼
Hi Katie,
You could use coconut cream in place of the heavy cream and then skip the cheese or find a dairy free option. I hope this helps! xT
I’ve made this four times since it was posted. The family loves it and begs for it to be made for dinner every other night! I really want to serve it with a vegetable or add a veg to the dish. What would be the best veg to add or pair with?
Hey Grace,
Yay!! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you and was enjoyed! Thank you so much for making it and sharing your feedback! You could really serve with any veggies you like, I love doing a side salad. Happy Friday! XxT