We had this for dinner last night and I wish I had a photo of my husband’s face when he took the first bite! It was easier than expected and tasted wonderful! ~ Carol
Cider braised chicken with sage is a family pleasing fall dinner that’s surprisingly easy to get on the table ~ the oven does all the work!
My daughter Clare and her husband made this braised chicken for us the other day and we all raved about it. I went out the very next day to buy the ingredients to make it for you. The flavors are spot on for the season and the chicken comes out perfectly juicy and succulent. At the time of this writing I’ve made this meal three times and each time it’s come out perfectly. And there’s nothing like the smell of a roasting chicken to get people excited about dinner.
what you’ll need for cider braised chicken
- a fryer chicken
- the key to this meal is to buy a spatchcocked chicken (or have your butcher do it for you.) My chicken was 2 1/2 pounds, to feed 4 and we found ours at Whole Foods. Yours might be a little bit bigger, and that’s fine, just factor in a longer cooking time.
- fresh apple cider
- braising simply means cooking in liquid, and since it’s the season for fresh cider, that’s what I used. If you need to use bottled cider, that’s fine. You can also use wine, broth, or beer for your liquid.
- fresh sage
- there’s no substitute for fresh sage, all stores carry it.
- onion
- shallot
- shallots are a staple in my kitchen, I keep them in a pretty bowl with my garlic, right on the counter and reach for them almost daily.
- grainy Dijon mustard
- creamy Dijon will also work.
- apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper
what’s a spatchcocked chicken?
A spatchcocked chicken is a butterflied chicken. Basically it involves removing the backbone so the body of the chicken opens up flat. This makes it cook more quickly, and more evenly. It’s very easy to cut, as well, for serving. You can often find it prepared this way in your supermarket, or you can ask the butcher to do it for you. This is a perfect way to prep a chicken for roasting or grilling.
how to spatchcock a chicken
It’s east to spatchcock your own chicken if you can’t find one ready-cut. You’ll need good sharp kitchen shears. Place the chicken upside down, with the legs facing toward you. You’ll cut down either side of the ‘parson’s nose’, or either side of the backbone, to remove the entire thing. Then flip the chicken right-side up, and give it a good flattening with your hands. You can also use the bottom of a cast iron skillet to flatten it.
cider braised chicken with sage, step by step
Everything gets layered in, and baked straightaway, there’s hardly any prep! And yes, you can get it all set ahead of time and pop it in the oven whenever is convenient, making it a great dish for entertaining.
step 1. layer the base ingredients into the braising pan
Put the onions, shallots, cider, vinegar, mustard, sage, and salt into your pan and give everything a good stir to combine.
step 2. top with the chicken
Lay the spatchcocked chicken into the pan. Brush it with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt.
step 3. bake (braise)
Bake at 425F for about 70 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165F in the thickest part. I like to baste it with the juices several times during baking. When the chicken is done, switch the oven to broil to get the skin golden and crisp (this will only take a minute or two.)
why we love this cider braised chicken
This braised chicken recipe is a winner in so many ways. First, it’s so easy. You just chop and drop the ingredients into your braising pan, top it all with the chicken, and bake. The aromas coming from your oven at about the 40 minute mark are intoxicating.
Spatchcocking makes the chicken cook up super juicy and tender. It also exposes more of the skin to the heat of the oven so it’s nice and crisp over all parts of the bird.
Cider braised chicken makes a pretty presentation on a platter, and is super easy to slice or cut to serve. You can either slice it right down the center for 2 very generous portions, or cut it in smaller pieces.
The cider and sage make it the perfect fall meal, so it’s ideal for celebrating the season.
And who doesn’t love chicken for dinner?
more chicken for dinner
- Creamy Lemon Chicken with Asparagus
- Lemony Chicken Soup with Orzo
- Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Apples and Brown Cabbage
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Thighs
- Creamy Chicken with Wild Rice and Mushrooms
- Meyer Lemon Roast Chicken
- Ottolenghi’s Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice
Cider Braised Chicken with Sage
Equipment
- large braising pan or roasting pan This is the one I use.
- instant read thermometer, optional but handy for checking to see if your chicken is done. Buy one here.
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved, and sliced
- 1 large shallot, peeled and sliced
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- coarse salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 1.5 cups fresh apple cider
- 2-3 Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2.5-3 lb spatchcocked chicken
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Take the chicken out from the refrigerator while you prep everything for this dish.
- Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil at the bottom of your braising pan. Add the onions and shallots, loosening the layers with your fingers as you add them so they separate.
- Add the fresh sage, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a good grinding of black pepper. Then add the cider, mustard, and vinegar. Give everything a stir to combine.
- Lay your chicken, skin side up, into the pan, on top of the onions, etc.
- Brush the surface of the chicken with some olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt. Bake, uncovered, for about 60-70 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165F in the thickest part. I like to baste the chicken from time to time. I also run it under the broiler for the last minute or two to add color and crisp the skin.
- I like to serve the chicken on a platter with sides. I lay down the onions along with the juices, topped with the chicken. Garnish with fresh sage.
Hello, I like this recipe and am going to try. Is red wine Ok? Thanks!
“ . If you need to use bottled cider, that’s fine. You can also use wine, broth, or beer for your liquid.”
Yes, absolutely. Use what you like to drink.
Could I substitute split chicken breast for the who;e chicken
Yes, for sure, but your baking time will be shorter, depending on the size of your pieces of chicken.
We had this for dinner last night and I wish I had a photo of my husband’s face when he took the first bite! It was easier than expected and tasted wonderful. I’m sure we’ll be having it again before long
Thanks so much Carol!
Excellent. Easy and delicious. Made it for family, they loved it as much as I did. Will definitely make this again.
Thanks for the review Alison, I’m hooked on spatchcocked chicken!
This looks so beautiful and delicious, I can’t wait to try it! Every recipe of yours that I’ve made has been a huge hit and I expect this one will be too. Thanks for sharing all your great ideas!
🙂 Thanks for the kind words.