Fresh thyme works the best for this apple-y dish, but if you don’t have any on hand, dried thyme will work too. Feel free to adjust this seasoning to your taste, as thyme has a distinct flavor and aroma. My family doesn’t care for a strong kick of the spice, so I keep it to a minimum. You can add as much as 1 tsp (5 ml) of dried, however, if you love the flavor. The combination of apple cider and apple cider vinegar gives this chicken the powerful apple flavor I was looking for, which makes it a favorite dish in the fall months.
CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
3 pounds (1361 g) chicken thighs, boneless or bone-in
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Golden Delicious or Jonagold apple, peeled, cored, and sliced into ¼-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
SAUCE INGREDIENTS
1 cup (240 ml) apple cider
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1-2 tsp (10 ml) chopped fresh thyme (or ¼-1 tsp (5 ml) dried)
Serves 4
Place the chicken in a slow cooker, and season it with sea salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the shallot, garlic, sliced apple, and bay leaf over the chicken.
In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Cook the chicken on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, ladle some into a small pan and simmer it over medium heat until reduced by half, and then serve over the chicken. Doing so thickens the sauce nicely and concentrates the flavors.
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Apple cider chicken thighs are slow-cooker comfort that tastes like early autumn. Chicken thighs braise with apples, shallot, garlic, thyme, and a full cup of apple cider plus sharp cider vinegar until the meat is falling-apart tender and the sauce is sweet-tart perfection.
Pro Tips
- Use a firm, slightly tart apple like Golden Delicious or Jonagold — it holds its shape through the long cook instead of dissolving into applesauce.
- The apple cider vinegar balances the sweet cider; without it the sauce tastes flat and one-dimensional against the rich chicken thighs.
- Bone-in or boneless thighs both work — bone-in gives a richer sauce, boneless makes serving easier. Either way, don't use breasts; the long cook dries them out.
- For a proper sauce, ladle the slow-cooker juices into a pan and simmer until reduced by half — it thickens nicely and concentrates every flavour.
- The bay leaf and thyme keep the dish savoury so the apple never pushes it into dessert territory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use apple juice instead of cider?
Apple cider (unfiltered, no sugar added) gives the best flavour, but pure apple juice works. Keep the cider vinegar in either way for the tangy balance.
Is this chicken paleo?
Yes: chicken thighs, apple, cider, cider vinegar, olive oil, and fresh aromatics. No refined sugar, soy, or thickeners.
How long does it take in the slow cooker?
Low for 6–7 hours or high for 4–6 hours. The thighs are done when they shred easily and the apples have softened into the sauce.
What should I serve with it?
Mashed cauliflower or roasted root vegetables catch the cider sauce beautifully, with some wilted greens to balance the sweetness.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Serves 4 Place the chicken in a slow cooker, and season it with sea salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the shallot, garlic, sliced apple, and bay leaf over the chicken.
- In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken.
- Cook the chicken on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to serve. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, ladle some into a small pan and simmer it over medium heat until reduced by half, and then serve over the chicken. Doing so thickens the sauce nicely and concentrates the flavors.
