Crockpot Apple Cider Chicken Thighs Recipe
Crockpot Apple Cider Chicken Thighs is a comforting, one-pot slow cooker recipe featuring tender chicken thighs cooked in a sweet and savory apple cider sauce with fresh herbs, apples, and onions. Perfect for a cozy meal with minimal effort, this dish melds apple cider’s natural sweetness and acidity with fragrant rosemary and thyme, making your house smell inviting and delivering juicy, flavorful chicken that pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes or rice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Produce
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji), sliced thin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Sauce and Seasonings
- 2 cups apple cider (not vinegar)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Slice apples, onions, and mince garlic: Thinly slice 2 Honeycrisp apples and 1 medium yellow onion. Mince 3 cloves of garlic carefully to release their flavor.
- Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups apple cider, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper until well combined and smooth.
- Layer ingredients into the crockpot: Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil at the bottom of the crockpot. Add the sliced onions and apples first, then place the 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs on top. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp fresh rosemary and 1 tbsp fresh thyme evenly over the chicken. Pour the cider sauce over everything and add the minced garlic last to disperse the flavor throughout.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly to a rich, savory-sweet consistency.
- Serve: Serve the chicken hot with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, or rice. Spoon the apple cider sauce and softened apples over the chicken for maximum flavor and comfort.
Notes
- Use apple cider, not apple cider vinegar, as cider is sweet and tenderizes the chicken while vinegar is too tangy for this recipe.
- Slicing apples thinly helps them soften properly in the slow cooker and release their sweetness.
- Avoid overcooking more than 8 hours as chicken thighs can dry out even in a crockpot.
- Season both the meat and sauce adequately with salt to balance the sweet flavors.
- Bone-in chicken thighs may be used; add 30 minutes more cooking time.
- Substitute pears for apples for a different fruity twist.
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick or replace brown sugar with maple syrup for natural sweetness.
- Fresh herbs can be swapped with dried herbs using 1 tsp each.
- Prep ingredients ahead by refrigerating them overnight sealed in container and then combine when ready to cook.
Keywords: crockpot chicken, apple cider chicken, slow cooker recipes, comfort food, fall recipes, easy dinner, one-pot meal
