This caramelized apple cider chicken that goes into this slow cooker is precisely what I need to warm up after a hard day of work in the winter. You combine a single basic recipe (Caramelized Apple Cider Slow Cooker Chicken), which is apple cider, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, fresh thyme, and chopped shallots, pour it into over the top of raw chicken breasts in the slow cooker, and leave it alone. By dinner time, the chicken has become tender and the cider has been transformed into a sweet-savoury glaze that makes you think it had taken you hours to take care of it, although the slow cooker has done all the work.
Garnish the chicken with the abundant caramelized apple cider sauce spooned over it. It goes well on creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or wild rice to absorb each drop. A plain side of green food such as roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans or a crispy salad with apples and toasted nuts are a good reflection on the fall flavors. A lump of stale bread with which to mop up the sauce, and a glass of cider–hard or ordinary–and this makes a complete, home-bound winter-dinner.
Slow Cooker Caramelized Apple Cider Chicken
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken ivory meat
- Quantity: 1 pound (approximately 4 medium)
- Notes: Place the uncooked chicken breasts as a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Apple cider (apple cider vinegar is not used)
- Quantity: 1 cup
- Notes: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the apple cider, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, melted butter (unless it is already melted) minced shallots, chopped fresh thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper and whisk together until the brown sugar has mostly been dissolved and all ingredients have been combined.
- Packed light brown sugar
- Quantity: 1/3 cup
- Notes: Whisk together until the brown sugar has mostly been dissolved and all ingredients have been combined.
- Dijon mustard
- Quantity: 2 tablespoons
- Notes: Whisk together with the apple cider mixture until fully combined.
- Butter (unsalted) melted (not necessary, but assist in caramelizing)
- Quantity: 2 tbs.
- Notes: Melted butter (unless it is already melted) is combined into the mixture to assist in caramelizing.
- Minced shallots (1 medium shallot)
- Quantity: 2 tablespoons
- Notes: Ensure that the shallots and thyme have been spread around the chicken.
- Fresh thyme in chopped leaves (or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme)
- Quantity: 1 tablespoon
- Notes: Chopped fresh thyme is whisked into the mixture and spread around the chicken.
- Kosher salt, and more to taste.
- Quantity: 1 teaspoon
- Notes: Add a pinch of more salt if necessary after thickening the sauce.
- Black pepper, freshly ground.
- Quantity: 5.8 ml
- Notes: Add a pinch of more pepper if necessary after thickening the sauce.
- Cornstarch (not necessary, but to thicken the soup)
- Quantity: 1 tablespoon
- Notes: Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl and stir it till smooth.
- Cold water (this is optional and to thicken the pickles)
- Quantity: 1 Tablespoon
- Notes: Gradually stir in the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce and cook between 2 and 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened to a light gravy.
Directions
Caramelized Apple Cider Slow Cooker Chicken
Step 1
Spray the inside of a 4 to 6 quarts slow cooker lightly with cooking spray to make clean up easier. Place the uncooked chicken breasts as a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step 2
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the apple cider, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, melted butter (unless it is already melted) minced shallots, chopped fresh thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper and whisk together until the brown sugar has mostly been dissolved and all ingredients have been combined. This is your 1 mixture.
Step 3
Pour this 1 mixture all over the raw chicken breasts in the slow cooker and ensure that each piece has been covered and the shallots and thyme have been spread around the chicken.
Step 4
Bake at LOW 4-5 hours or at HIGH 2-3 hours till chicken is fully cooked and internal temperature of 165 degF is reached. The cider blend will turn dark and begin to have a caramelized flavor in the process of cooking.
Step 5
When the chicken is cooked, put the breasts on a plate or cutting board, and then loosely cover them with foil to hold the heat. Cautiously transfer the cooking liquid in the slow cooker into a small sauce pan (or scoop out with a ladle).
Step 6
In order to enrich and deepen the caramelized sauce on apples, bring the liquid to a slow boil on medium heat. Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl and stir it till smooth. Gradually stir in the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce and cook between 2 and 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened to a light gravy, and has a sweet-savory caramel taste. Add a pinch of more salt or pepper if necessary.
Step 7
Cut or slice the chicken breasts and place them again on the slow cooker or serving dish. Add the rich caramelized apple cider sauce on top of the chicken ensuring that it has been fully covered.
Step 8
Warm the caramelized apple cider chicken and serve on warm plated with additional sauce poured over each dish. Place the store leftover in an airtight container in the refrigerator not more than 3 days, reheat it in the stovetop or in the microwave oven with a drop of broth or cider to loosen the sauce.
Variations & Tips
Sear for deeper flavor
To achieve a more intense flavor of caramelized chicken, sear the chicken breasts in a hot pan with a bit of oil during 2 to 3 minutes per side and then add them to the slow cooker and pour cider mixture as instructed.
Use chicken thighs
In case you like thighs, you may use the same amount of boneless skinless chicken thighs and cook on LOW, 5 to 6 hours.
Reduce sweetness
To make it less sweet leave the brown sugar at 3 tablespoons and add an additional teaspoon of Dijon mustard or a splash of apple cider vinegar at the very end to add brightness.
Add creaminess
To add to the creaminess, add 1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half to the thickened off-heat sauce.
Add texture
You can also ensure that you place sliced onions or apples in the slow cooker, along with the chicken, to add texture and flavor.
Meal prep
To prepare meals, you can cook chicken on a Sunday and place it in containers with sauce and a piece of rice or noodles and keep the same in the refrigerator to heat it in the microwave when you have a lunch during the week.
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