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This One Pan Apple Cider Glazed Chicken Thighs recipe is the perfect cozy fall dinner! Juicy, tender chicken thighs are cooked with sweet potatoes in a delicious apple cider glaze for an easy, flavorful meal that’s both sweet and savory.

Apple Cider Glazed Chicken Thighs with sweet potatoes in a cast iron skillet after roasting.

Why You’ll Love This One Pan Chicken Recipe

There’s so much to love about this cozy fall-inspired chicken dinner!

One Pan Wonder: Everything cooks together in one cast iron skillet — less mess, easy cleanup, and maximum flavor as the chicken, apples, and sweet potatoes roast together.
Easy Weeknight Dinner: Simple ingredients and minimal prep make this the perfect recipe for busy weeknights. Just sear, glaze, and bake — dinner’s ready in under an hour!
Cozy Fall Flavors: The apple cider glaze adds the perfect touch of sweetness that pairs beautifully with the savory chicken and caramelized veggies. It’s comfort food that feels seasonal and fresh.
Nutritious & Balanced: With protein-rich chicken, naturally sweet apples, and hearty roasted sweet potatoes, this meal is wholesome, filling, and full of nutrients.
Family-Friendly Favorite: It’s the kind of dish that feels special but doesn’t take all day — a healthy, flavorful dinner everyone will love!

Ingredients You’ll Need

This cozy fall-inspired one pan chicken recipe comes together with simple, wholesome ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Chicken Thighs – Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs stay juicy and flavorful while developing that perfectly crispy skin in the skillet.
Avocado Oil – A great high-heat oil for searing and roasting. It helps the chicken get that beautiful golden crust and keeps everything from sticking.
Sweet Potato – Adds natural sweetness and heartiness to the dish. The caramelized edges pair perfectly with the tangy apple cider glaze.
Onion – A little chopped yellow or sweet onion brings depth and savory balance to the glaze and veggies.
Apple – A crisp apple like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith adds brightness and a touch of tart sweetness that makes this dish taste like fall.
Garlic – Fresh minced garlic infuses the entire skillet with rich, aromatic flavor.
Salt & Pepper – Simple seasonings that enhance all the warm, sweet, and savory flavors in the dish.

For the Apple Cider Glaze

Apple Cider – The base of the glaze — slightly sweet, tangy, and full of cozy fall flavor. It reduces beautifully and adds a gorgeous shine to the chicken.
Honey – Naturally sweetens the glaze and helps it caramelize while baking.
Grainy Dijon Mustard – Adds a touch of sharpness and texture that balances the sweetness of the apple cider and honey.
Thyme – A classic herb that complements the chicken and sweet potatoes perfectly. Use fresh thyme for a fragrant finish or dried if that’s what you have on hand.

Kitchen Essentials For Apple Cider Glazed Chicken Thighs

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How to Make Apple Cider Glazed Chicken Thighs

This cozy one-pan dinner comes together easily in a few simple steps. Here’s how to make it:

1. Preheat the Oven and Make the Glaze

Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider, honey, Dijon mustard, and thyme. Set the glaze aside while you prepare the chicken.

2. Sear the Chicken Thigh

Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the chicken skin-side down for about 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes, then remove from the skillet and set aside.

Chicken thighs searing skin side down in cast iron skillet.

Chicken thighs searing skin side up in cast iron skillet.

3. Sauté the Aromatics and Sweet Potatoes

In the same skillet, add a little more avocado oil and sauté the minced garlic and chopped onion for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the sweet potatoes and apples, then season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes start to soften.

Sauteing garlic and onions in cast iron skillet.

Sautéing sweet potatoes and apples in cast iron skillet.

4. Add the Chicken and Glaze

Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, placing them on top of the sweet potatoes and apples. Pour half of the apple cider glaze over everything, coating evenly.

Apple cider glazed chicken thighs in cast iron skillet over sweet potatoes before baking.

5. Bake and Finish

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, basting with the remaining glaze halfway t hrough cooking. When done, the chicken should be golden, caramelized, and cooked through.

6. Serve and Enjoy

Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving. Spoon the roasted sweet potatoes, apples, and glaze over the apple cider glazed chicken thighs for the perfect cozy fall dinner.

Close up image of apple cider glazed chicken thighs over roasted sweet potatoes and apples.

Tips & Substitutions

Crispy Skin Tip: When searing the chicken thighs, let them cook untouched skin-side down for about 5 minutes to develop that golden, crispy crust. Avoid moving them around too soon — patience pays off!
Optional Broil: For extra-crispy skin, you can broil the chicken for 1–2 minutes at the end of baking. Just keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn.
Chicken: You can swap the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for chicken breasts if you prefer. Keep in mind that chicken breasts may cook a little faster and won’t have the same crispy skin.
Sweeteners & Mustard: Use maple syrup instead of honey for a slightly different sweetness, and regular Dijon mustard works perfectly in place of grainy Dijon.
Vegetables: Feel free to swap the roasted sweet potatoes and apples for your favorite vegetables. Carrots, squash, or even white potatoes make a delicious variation.
Oven-Safe Alternatives: If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, any oven-safe skillet works. Or, after searing the chicken and sautéing the vegetables, you can transfer everything to a baking dish to finish cooking in the oven.
Serving Tip: This apple cider glazed chicken thighs dish pairs beautifully with a simple green salad or cooked grains like quinoa or rice to soak up the flavorful apple cider glaze.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Store leftover apple cider glazed chicken thighs and roasted sweet potatoes all together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: For the best texture, reheat in the oven or air fryer at 375°F until warmed through to help keep the chicken skin crispy. You can also reheat in the microwave for a quick option, though the skin will soften.

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