I appreciate all the comments and thoughts on my first paleo post. Lots of different view points on this topic, and I’m always excited to hear and learn from others. Part two will be about my own paleo journey and experiences.
But today is all about food. Well, isn’t it always? I mentioned a few posts back that I’ve grown a passion for drinking Hard Ciders. Such a passion that I decided to throw it into my food too. I tweaked this chicken recipe for the second time and was really pleased with round 2.
This dish incorporates everything that’s great in the world. Chicken thighs are tastier, more filling, cheaper, and more bad ass than any other kind of chicken. The hard cider is just sweet enough and thickens into a wonderful sauce. Bacon is bacon. And an entire caramelized onion could pass as dessert to me.
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Hard Cider Baked Chicken Thighs with Bacon
The hard cider thickens up into a wonderfully sweet sauce and complements the salty bacon perfectly. Serves 2-4 depending on size of thighs. Gluten and dairy free.
- 2 strips of bacon
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1 cup hard cider (or apple cider)
- 1 medium onion
- 1-2 Tbsp grainy or dijon mustard
- salt, pepper, tarragon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel.
In a skillet over medium heat add bacon strips and whole chopped onion. Remove bacon when it is crispy and set aside.
Continue to cook onion until nearly caremlized (7-10 minutes). Add salt, pepper, and tarragon to the chicken thighs and place in skillet with onion, skin side down. Allow them to brown but do not cook entirely through. Remove from pan. Spread grainy mustard on the skin of the chicken.
Pour in 1 cup of hard cider with onion and allow to cook down for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Add back in the chicken thighs with skin and mustard facing up and place in the oven (if skillet is oven proof, otherwise transfer everything to a baking dish).
Cook for 25-30 minutes and finish under the broiler for 5-10 minutes until skin is crispy.
Remove and crumble strips of bacon on top and garnish with fresh herbs.
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What cut of chicken do you typically buy? I bounced between chicken breasts and tenders for a while but have been loving thighs lately!
ah, I’m a sucker for thighs. (wait, what?) Another beautifully REAL recipe Katie.
p.s. the new header is awesome!!!!
thank you! I’m a sucker for thighs too
Yummm!! I do a similar recipe in the slow cooker, but NEVER thought to add bacon {which is funny because I love bacon}. I usually buy breasts, but I like to mix it up with thighs and legs as well {yes, I’m still talking about chicken}!
I bet pork in a slow cooker with hard cider would be perfect! Oh I’ll have to give legs a try too.
I usually go with chicken breasts (I started to say “I prefer breasts” but decided that didn’t sound very good), but I will have to give chicken thighs a try instead – your recipe looks delicious!
Besides the weird fatty skin on chicken thighs that beyond grosses me out when it’s raw, it definitely is the best part of the bird when it comes to flavor. We had some last night actually on the BBQ. I just need to pick up some cider and this would become a perfect mid-week meal. Simple but looks (and I’m sure tastes) delicious.
Btw-love the new header!
I need to make that bbq chicken recipe. If you ever feel inclined to recreate it or share the recipe I would be a happy girl!
I LOVE THE NEW BLOG LOOK!!!! Can you design my header, too?
haha well thank you! It took me about a week of tweaking things so I wouldn’t be the most efficient person to “hire” but I know a few people who are if you need suggestions!
Hi Katie! your food styling is lovely!
– Jasper
I too loveee the ciders. I don’t like beer anymore – just cider! (Or wine, or other spirits, obvs, just not beer for some reason!) That recipe looks amazing.
I’ve come to prefer chicken thighs too, but I only ate chicken breasts when I was growing up. I didn’t even like drumsticks – don’t know what I was thinking!
Looks delicious, as always!
Oh I love it!!! So excited to make this. Seriously, I agree with every single thing you said in this post, and all the right flavors are in this chicken….although I do like a good chicken breast now and again.
And I adore your new header-very you!
thanks alex, it took a ton of tweaking- tech stuff is not my thing! But yes I don’t even think this recipe would be that great with chicken breasts hah!
Oh yes…I’m not a big tech person either! I do know how to work photoshop a bit (thanks to my graphic designer mom)…but you did great!
Isn’t it funny how some chicken recipes just have to be either breast or thigh? It’s like they are two seperate meats!
I just discovered your blog so I am not sure if you mentioned before but Crispin Cider is some of the best stuff out there. The recipe looks amazing too, I will have to give it a try.
I’ve only had woodchuck and magners but I’ll keep my eyes peeled for crispin. I prefer magners because its less sweet but I also love supporting local vermont companies so I’ve been buying woodchuck.
Hi Katie! Gram, and Supernanny, always used chicken thighs for Chicken Cacciatore, Italian style. I can still see the old electric fry pan set up on the counter, the thighs all lined up in rows, browning, then simmering with canned tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic…. we would ladle it over noodles or rice! The Italians know that the marrow in them bones is too good to be missed! Love you, Auntie KK
You guys ate well growing up from all the stories you have shared! Grammy knew what was up
Miss you!
This recipe looks absolutely delicious! I’m not a huge beer fan so whenever I find myself at a brewery type bar I find myself ordering hard apple cider. I love chicken thighs. They are more flavorful and cheaper so it’s a win win for me.
these pictures are making my mouth water. looks like an awesome recipe
WOW, this recipe looks incredible!! And I agree about caramelized onion. Yummmm!
Duck thighs are even better in my opinion, but any thigh is succulent. Plus onions and bacon equals amazing. In Texas we would probably make this with a can of Budweiser though.
oh man I must find duck thighs soon, I’ve never even had duck in general so maybe thigh would be a good way to start? And yes a beer might be great in this too, although GF beers aren’t the best… I prefer hard ciders.
I love chicken thighs too! So much cheaper than other organic, free-range cuts! Thanks for the idea. My husband brews hard cider for our family (those of drinking age,
) and this will make good use of our multiple kegs!!
He brews cider?! very cool, I’d love to do that someday I bet its delicious.
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