Description
A comforting dish featuring tender chicken simmered in a creamy apple cider sauce with crispy bacon and sweet apples. Perfect for fall dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium apples (e.g., Honeycrisp or Gala), cored and sliced
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add to the hot skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add olive oil if needed. Sauté shallot and garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the sliced apples and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
- Pour in the apple cider and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and dried thyme. Simmer gently for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Return the chicken and bacon to the skillet, spooning the sauce over the chicken. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until heated through.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Notes
For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. Serve with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Nutrition
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Fat: 40 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Protein: 38 g