This is truly a one skillet supper that celebrates two of my favorite fall ingredients: apple cider and sage! Obviously, apples are in season in the fall, but sage has always been an herb I gravitate toward in the colder months, too. These alone would be amazing, but I pile the flavors onto this chicken with two kinds of mustard – whole grain for aesthetic and texture and Dijon for big, punchy flavor – and white miso, which is arguably the secret ingredient in this dish. (If you aren’t familiar with it, miso is a fermented soy bean paste and it is a salty, umami flavor bomb of deliciousness!) Because the sauce is so flavor-packed, I keep the rest of the ingredients super simple so that they don’t compete too much – potatoes, onions, and of course, bone-in, skin-on chicken. The chicken goes on top of the vegetables so that they soak up all of the schmaltzy goodness, and the cider reduces during the braising process so that it becomes a rich, intensely flavorful sauce. This dish checks every box of a dinner that’s as easy for a weeknight as it is for a dinner party: herby, tangy, sweet, salty, tender, crispy…I could go on! The last thing to note is that this recipe is also super flexible to your preferences; almost any root vegetable will be great beneath the chicken, and any bone-in cut of chicken will work, too. I only ask that you keep the apple cider, sage, mustards, and miso; as soon as you taste this magical combination, you’ll understand why!
Apple Cider Braised Chicken with Sage
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large onion cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 4 pound whole chicken, cut into quarters
- 1 cup unfiltered apple cider
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white miso divided
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard divided
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard divided
- 8-10 fresh sage leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and remove chicken from refrigerator.
- In a spouted measuring cup, add apple cider, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon each of miso, whole grain mustard, and Dijon. Whisk well to combine fully and set aside.
- In a 3 quart baking dish, add potatoes and onions, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine, then pour apple cider mixture evenly over the top.
- In a small bowl, add remaining miso and mustards and stir to combine. Slather onto the skin of each piece of chicken, rubbing any excess on the bottom sides. Season with pepper and a small amount of salt, then place on top of potatoes and onions. Scatter sage leaves over top, then drizzle remaining olive oil over chicken.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until breast reaches 160°F. If chicken begins to turn too dark before it’s done, lightly cover the dish with foil. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with salad or greens of choice.
This came out amazing! I thickened the pan juices to make a gravy and it has the perfect amount of sweetness from the cider.
I hope you enjoyed it Caleigh! You’ll have to come back and let me know how your next recipe comes out. 🙂