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image of a plate of cooked crockpot apple cider chicken garnished with fresh herbs next to a bowl of roasted vegetables with a rustic wooden background and soft natural lighting studio photography realistic creative food photography 35mm lens

Crockpot Apple Cider Chicken

This crockpot Apple Cider Chicken is a cozy, one-pot fall comfort meal that blends the sweetness of apple cider with savory herbs and juicy chicken thighs. Perfect for busy weeknights or intimate family dinners, it’s a warm hug in a bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken & Aromatics
  • 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 medium carrots chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 2 cups apple cider unfiltered, cloudy
  • 1 cup chicken broth high-quality
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt pepper to taste
Herbs & Seasoning
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Apples
  • 2 medium apples Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, sliced
Optional
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
  • 2 tbsp water (optional, for slurry)

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. Season chicken thighs liberally with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip and sear for 1 more minute. Transfer to slow cooker.
  3. In the same skillet, sauté onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add a splash of apple cider to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Pour mixture over chicken in the slow cooker.
  4. Add carrots, celery, remaining apple cider, chicken broth, and thyme sprigs to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.
  5. Cover and cook on Low for 6-7 hours or High for 3-4 hours.
  6. About 45 minutes before serving, add sliced apples into the slow cooker. Stir gently to incorporate.
  7. Remove chicken to a platter. Whisk in apple cider vinegar and heavy cream (if using) into the sauce. Optional: Make a cornstarch slurry and whisk in to thicken the sauce. Let simmer on High for 10 minutes if thickening.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 35gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 420mgPotassium: 550mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 2500IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2.5mg

Notes

If using chicken breasts, reduce cooking time to 3-4 hours on low to prevent drying. For a gluten-free thickener, use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch.
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