Apple & Thyme Chicken – A Sweet and Savory Recipe

Continuing on with the Apple Season theme, there comes a time when you have to stop using the apples to make desserts.  That time comes when your pants are tight.  After eating apple cake all week, it was time to use the apples for a lower fat, savory dish.  My summer garden has been harvested with the exception of thyme.  My thyme seems to be the most resilient plant sowed this year, which is nice because it was one of the plants my son gave me for Mother’s day, and he’s proud to know that his gift is still being used.  He was offering to help me make dinner, so it was fitting that we would use his gifted herb.  What to make, what to make…  I had chicken, thyme, apples…Apple & Thyme Chicken sounds good!  Oh and it was!  Sometimes when I have an idea for a recipe, I look online to see how others have made it.  I couldn’t find one that looked good to me, so I had to invent one myself (which is strangely fun to me).  So here you go, my very own Apple & Thyme Chicken:

 

Apple and Thyme Chicken

Serves 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 medium apples (I used a Jona Gold, Ida Red and an Empire)

1 medium shallot, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider

1/4 chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

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Some of the deliciously fresh ingredients

First, start by prepping your ingredients:  Finely chop the shallots and peel, core and thinly slice the apples.  Find a large skillet or dutch oven and swirl one tablespoon of olive oil into it and heat it over medium heat.  Cook the shallots for five minutes, mixing regularly.

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Shallots are cooking. Time to add the apples.

Add the apples and stir occasionally until the apples are soft, but not mushy, about 10 minutes.  Once done, remove from pan and set aside.

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Apples and shallots happy together.

Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the chicken.  Brown both sides.  If your chicken is burning, you may need to add a bit more oil, lower the heat, or both.

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Chicken is browning!

Once both sides have been browned, add the apple and shallot mixture on top, then pour in the cider and chicken stock.  Cover the pan and lower the heat to low and let cook for about 10 minutes.

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All ingredients are in (except for the thyme) and it smells crazy good!

After 10 minutes, remove the lid and add the thyme.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes uncovered, or until the liquid cooks off and thickens.  This is the time to add salt and pepper!

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Can you smell the fresh thyme waiting its turn?

Make sure you check to see that your chicken is cooked through.  I like to use a meat thermometer and make sure that my chicken is at 160 F.  You can pick up cheap ones at Target!

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The final product – Apple & Thyme Chicken

And that’s all there is to it!  We served it with roasted cauliflower and couscous (for the gluten/grain eating family members), but it would go well with brown rice and a salad or any other veggie and grain combination you like.  The chicken is mildly flavored and the apples are sweet while the thyme mellows it all out.

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Enjoy and Happy Apple Season!

 

xo

B

 

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Beth Rosen

Eating Attitudes™ & Gut Expert

Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Beth Rosen Nutrition. She practices a non-diet philosophy and is a Health at Every Size" practitioner. Her goal is to end the pain of diet culture, one person at a time. Beth's techniques and programs empower chronic dieters, and those who consider themselves emotional and /or stress eaters, to ditch the vicious cycle of dieting, eat fearlessly by removing Food and diet rules, and mend their relationship with food and their bodies. Beth's works face-to-face with clients in Southbury, CT, and virtually with clients, worldwide.

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