Deliciously different, this rustic Chicken Thighs with Apples and Bacon is easy enough for weeknights, but also special enough for company.
I promised a savoury apple dish earlier in the week and I’m so excited to share this one with you. This chicken dish is deliciously different and easy enough to make on weeknights. The combination of chicken thighs with apples and bacon is a winner!
I’ve developed a new love of chicken thighs, particularly skin-on/bone-in ones. First, they’re economical. Always good. Secondly, they’re dark meat, which has lots of flavour and is always moist. Finally, the skin adds such great flavour to dishes and crisps up so perfectly.
The only down-side of bone-in is that they take longer to cook through. I give them a quick trip to the oven while the sauce is cooking to deal with that part. If you prefer to use boneless thighs, that may not be necessary. Chicken breasts (bone-in or boneless) are thick, so they should probably go in the oven for a bit. If you cut them up, again, the oven may not be necessary and you could just simmer them in your sauce to finish cooking.
Cook’s Notes for Chicken Thighs with Apples and Bacon
I used Empire apples for my dish, with the skin on. I love the bit of colour and I think leaving the skin on helps the apples to stay together and not become apple sauce in your dish. You can use apple cider or plain old apple juice for the dish. I also used applewood smoked bacon here, in keeping with the apple theme, but any bacon or pancetta will work. Just remember that the bacon will add a bit of salt to the dish, so keep that in mind when salting. That said, I think some added salt is probably necessary to balance the sweetness of the apples and apple juice. Freshly ground pepper is nice as well.
I served this with mashed potatoes, but rice or pasta would also be nice.
Rustic Chicken with Apples and Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs bone-in/skin on
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
- 2 slices bacon diced (applewood smoked is nice!)
- 1/2 cup diced onion about 1/2 medium onion
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup apple juice or cider
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups thinly sliced apples about 2 un-peeled apples, cored, quartered and sliced
- 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme or Herbes de Provence
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water or mix with reserved pan drippings for a bit of extra flavour
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375° F. and line a baking sheet with foil (for easy cleanup!). Set aside.
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In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Dry chicken thighs well and sprinkle skin with salt and pepper. Once oil is hot, place thighs, skin side down in to the oil and allow to cook until golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side for a few minutes. Remove chicken to the prepared baking sheet and place in to the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes. (*Watch skin as chicken cooks in the oven and cover loosely with a piece of foil if it starts to brown too much).
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Meanwhile, remove the oil and drippings from the pan and discard. Cook the bacon in the same skillet over medium-high heat until starting to brown. Add the onions and cook until the bacon is crisp and the onions are lightly browned. Add the white wine and allow to cook until the alcohol smell burns off (1-2 minutes). Add the apple juice, chicken stock, apples and thyme. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer until apples soften. Add the cream and dijon to the sauce and stir to combine. Add a bit of the cornstarch/water mixture a bit at a time until sauce thickens to your liking. Taste and add salt and pepper, to taste.
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Remove chicken from oven and check for doneness (if you have a thermometer, should be about 165° F.). Otherwise, cut in to one and check. Juices should run clear and the meat should not be pink near the bone. If necessary, return to the oven for longer while you keep your sauce warm over low heat. Place chicken on a large serving plate. Spoon sauce around chicken and serve. This chicken is nice with mashed potatoes or rice.
This was absolutely delicious!! Such a great meal for a chilly fall evening. I served this with some mashed parsnips, and we really enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Katie and those mashed parsnips sound perfect :)
How long is the chicken supposed to bake in the oven? I don’t see that in instructions…
Hi Peggy, It should stay in the oven until fully cooked, so partly depends on the size of your chicken thighs. It would be 165 F. tested with an instant read thermometer. I find that’s usually 20-25 minutes.
I love chicken thighs bc they have so much more flavor. I can’t figure out people who won’t eat them. This looks so creamy and comforting!
Thanks Karen and I agree! I cook thighs (bone-in and boneless) far more often than breasts just for that reason :)
Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard! I am so making this for dinner soon. Chicken, apples AND bacon? You’re talking my love language. :)
Thanks so much, Alida :) It’s a great combination of flavours!
This recipe tasted fabulous and look just like your photos. It was my first time using apples in a savory dish and it was so very good. This was my second recipe of yours to make and we loved them both, thank you for sharing them.
So glad you enjoyed it, Barbara :) It’s a great dish for this time of year. Tastes like Fall!
Making this today and am so excited!! Do you add in the chicken juice that Was reserved from browning the chicken at the end or at the same time as the chicken stock?
Hi Marla, I had to go back and look at the recipe instructions. I think I should have said discard the drippings. It’s mostly fat from the chicken skin, so would make the dish quite fatty if added back in. Enjoy the dish!
This recipe is gorgeous! Love the way you incorporated the apples!
Thanks so much, Marla :)
I made this recipe with 4 thighs, but kept sauce amounts the same. Used 1 Sweet Tango and 1 Braeburn apple and apple cider. So so good with mashed potatoes. I saved the leftover sauce–not sure what I’ll do with it–but it’s too good to toss!
The completed dish looks exactly as pictured. Definitely going into the save file.
So glad you enjoyed it, Joni! Thanks for coming back to let me know :)
This looks amazing! I’ll be featuring it tomorrow on my blog in an apple-themed roundup!
Made this a couple of nights ago – so tasty and something of a “sleeper” dish to have in your repertoire. Silky, smooth and nice pops of Dijon flavour notes. I used a sparkling cider from Normandy, but my richly flavoured Salish apples really didn’t need any extra apple accents. If I used the same apples again, I’d skip the cider & just up the white wine.
Really enjoyed it, Jennifer … another hit!
So glad you enjoyed it. I used apple juice/Macintosh apples (both fairly mild), so I agree, if using a stronger apple, you could skip or reduce the cider. You could replace with chicken stock, too.
Gorgeous dish, Jennifer. I love absolutely love chicken thighs and think they are totally under appreciated. This looks so cozy. Wish I had a big plate of it right now!
Thanks Liz. It was such a fresh change from the usual!
Yum, this looks so hearty and delicious!! I still can’t open myself up to enjoying the thighs for some reason — I didn’t grow up on it, but maybe I’ll try this recipe out as I’m sure it’s delicious!
Thanks Karishma. It took me a while to embrace the thigh. I think I had some bad ones over the years :)
Not only does this chicken look delicious but it is so beautifully captured too. Seriously your photography is always incredible… pinned!
Thanks so much, Thalia :)
I’m loving your apple theme, and I’ve recently switched over to the ‘thighs are best’ camp, so this will be on our table soon, for sure. I love the semi-creamy sauce…it’s not too thick and heavy. I would love this with a turnip or parsnip puree.
Thanks Sue and you’re right. The sauce is not heavy or rich at all. I love the idea of turnip or parsnip puree with it!
I love the idea of using apples in a savory dish! This looks so cozy, perfect for a chilly winter evening!
Thanks Laura!
Thanks Jessica. The apples and bacon together are awesome (can’t ever really go wrong with bacon ;)
I have been all about chicken thighs lately too – so quick to roast in the oven! I’m loving this apple and bacon combo
I just have to say, I LOVE your chicken recipes. You always have such great ideas! And I totally agree about the chicken thighs – best part of the chicken in my opinion!
Thanks Meghan. We’re enjoying lots of thighs these days since our daughter who refuses to eat any meat “still on the bone” left for college ;)