I Swear This 5-Ingredient Chicken Is the Easiest, Most Delicious Dinner You Can Make Right Now
If you’re on the hunt for your new favorite chicken dinner, I’ve got you covered. This recipe for apple cider-glazed chicken thighs has it all, and that’s why it has been one of my go-tos for years. This chicken dinner starts with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which are budget-friendly, forgiving to cook, and full of flavor. The apple cider glaze is what makes this dinner extra special, and as long as you can bring a pot to a boil, you can do it. The glaze is a simple sweet and savory combination of apple cider, fresh rosemary, garlic, Dijon mustard, and butter, cooked until it is thickened and glossy. This is a dinner I start making at apple-picking time and don’t quit until, well, ever.
Get the recipe: Apple Cider-Glazed Chicken Thighs
What Makes Apple Cider-Glazed Chicken Thighs So Good
These chicken thighs offer better flavor and more bang for your buck. Using bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs keeps the meat juicy as it cooks and adds savory flavor. These chicken thighs are also more affordable than chicken breasts or fully butchered thighs.
Apple cider reduces into a glaze that’s sweet and savory. Simmering apple cider concentrates its fruity flavor into a consistency that is perfect for glazing.
How to Make Apple Cider-Glazed Chicken Thighs
Make the apple cider glaze. Simmer apple cider, smashed garlic cloves, a sprig of fresh rosemary, and Dijon mustard until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk butter into the glaze and remove from the heat.
Crisp the chicken thigh skin. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down, and cook until the skin is browned and easily releases from the pan.
Flip the chicken and glaze. Turn the chicken over, and spoon the glaze evenly over each thigh.
Bake the chicken thighs. Finish the glazed chicken thighs in the oven, spooning the glaze over the thighs after about 5 minutes. Once the chicken registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, broil until the skin is deep golden brown and the glaze is bubbling.
If You’re Making Apple Cider-Glazed Chicken Thighs, a Few Tips
Cook cider to the perfect consistency. Simmering the cider removes some of the water content to intensify the flavor and concentrate the cider’s sugar. It’s difficult to gauge when the glaze is reduced enough just by looking in the pan. I like to periodically pour the glaze into a heatproof measuring cup to check my progress.
Don’t forcibly flip the chicken thighs. The best lesson I ever learned for cooking meat is to let it (not the timer or your impatience) tell you when it’s ready to turn. Once you’ve placed the chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet, leave them alone until they easily turn in the pan. Do this and you’ll be rewarded with perfectly golden and crisp skin that isn’t mangled or torn.
Get the recipe: Apple Cider-Glazed Chicken Thighs
This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: I Swear This 5-Ingredient Chicken Is the Easiest, Most Delicious Dinner You Can Make Right Now
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