BEST BAKED CHICKEN AND APPLES

OUTSTANDING recipe! I made it a second time with slight variations. Added to stuffing about 2 T. shredded carrot for color and about 2 T. chopped pecans for texture.

Nothing says “Hello autumn” like cooked apples! We cook and bake with apples year-round, but these fall favorites make regular appearances in our kitchen when the leaves start to change. This weekend, we baked chicken thighs with apples in a totally cold-weather-inspired sauce…sweet maple syrup and tart apple cider, spiced with a hint of ginger.

I also couldn’t watch it on the stove, so after browning the breasts, I removed them and deglazed the pan with the wine, and then added the chicken stock and corn starch, brought it to a boil, returned the breasts to the pan, covered it and put the whole pan in a 325 oven for an hour. EASY!

It was incredible, and it took less than an hour to make! It’s warm and hearty, and our family loves the sticky-sweet maple ginger glaze; it definitely sets this dish apart. After an afternoon of leaf raking, this baked chicken and apple recipe really hits the spot!

This is a wonderful recipe! The combination of flavors and textures are so complimentary and its even easy to make. I made it for my in-laws tonight and it got rave reviews from all six of us. I made a few alterations: I added 2 tbl. chopped walnuts, 2 tbl. chopped parsley, and 1 tbl. of melted butter to the stuffing; I sauteed the stuffed breasts in a hot skillet until golden on each side and then baked in the wine/butter sauce in a 9X13 glass pan for 20-30 minutes at 450 degrees. Thank you for the recipe; its lovely.

INGREDIENTS:

8 medium bone-in chicken thighs
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 medium apples, cored and quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup apple vinegar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sauté chicken, skin side down, 4 to 5 minutes until skin is golden brown. Turn and cook 3 minutes. Transfer chicken thighs to prepared baking dish. Scatter apples over chicken. Set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in same skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Stir in apple cider, apple cider vinegar, ginger and thyme. Season with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Bring cider mixture to a slow boil. Add maple syrup and stir continuously 3 to 4 minutes until sauce begins to thicken. Pour sauce over chicken and apples …