This Sheet Pan Chicken and Apples with Cider Honey Butter is the weeknight dinner you didn't know you were missing. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs get seasoned with a smoky, savory spice blend, nestled on a sheet pan with thick-cut apple wedges, sweet potatoes, red onion, and green beans, then finished with the most incredible sticky apple cider honey butter glaze. It's bold, sweet, spicy, and herbaceous, and everything caramelizes together in the oven into one delicious, flavorful dinner. 🤤
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🍎 Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Michigan Apple Committee. We're so proud to partner with them to highlight the incredible apples grown right here in our state - Michigan is the second-largest apple producer in the country! As always, all opinions are our own.
The Sheet Pan Apple Chicken Dinner That Does It All ✨
Living in Michigan means we have access to incredible apples nearly year-round, and we take full advantage of it. We LOVE cooking with apples, they're not just for dessert! Please see Exhibit A: our braised pork steaks with apples in apple cider cream sauce. 😝Everyone knows pork and apples are a great pairing, but apples and chicken as a flavor combo get overlooked way too often. Chicken is the perfect canvas for the earthy, fruity sweetness of apples, and the buttery apple cider glaze we finish this with really takes the whole dish over the top.
The sheet pan method is what makes this so weeknight-friendly. Everything roasts together at high heat after a super quick sear of the chicken in a skillet or Dutch oven on the stovetop. The sweet potatoes get caramelized edges, the red onion softens and sweetens, and the apple wedges turn jammy and golden without falling apart. The chicken goes in skin-side up so the skin stays crispy while the whole pan does its thing in the oven.
It all comes together in about an hour with barely any cleanup. Serve it straight from the pan or over fluffy white rice to soak up all that glaze, and dinner is done! 🤤
🍎 Ingredients for Apple Cider Honey Butter Chicken
The ingredient list breaks into three simple components: boldly seasoned chicken, a colorful sheet pan of veggies and apples, and a sticky glaze built entirely on the stovetop while the chicken roasts. Nothing fussy or hard to find!
How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken and Apples ✨
This comes together in just a few simple steps, and the oven does most of the heavy lifting!
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels, then rub with a little oil. Mix together kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and season generously.
Make sure the chicken is well-coated on all sides.
🧂 We use Diamond Crystal kosher salt here, about 1 teaspoon per pound of chicken. If you're using Morton's kosher salt or table salt, use about half as much since they're saltier by volume.
🍗We recommend bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. These are so flavorful in this dish; with that said, you can use whatever you'd like. We love bone-in, skin-on, which adds a ton of flavor and texture. The bone adds flavor to the pan juices, and the skin protects the meat from drying out at high heat, plus it gets crispy and super tasty! If you prefer boneless skinless, they'll work just fine, but they'll cook faster, so start checking the temp around the 20-minute mark. You can still do the optional sear; it builds great flavor in the Dutch oven for the glaze!
- Step 2: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down for 3 to 4 minutes until the skin is golden and beginning to crisp.
💡 This step is optional but really worth it. Searing gives you a head start on crispy skin that the oven alone doesn't always deliver. If you're short on time, you can skip it and go straight to roasting - the chicken will still be delicious!
🍎 A note on apple variety
Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp all work beautifully here. Cut them into thick wedges, about 8 per apple, so they caramelize without turning mushy. Any firm, crisp Michigan apple you can find will do the job!
- Step 3: Toss the sweet potato, red onion, apple pieces, and green beans with oil, salt, pepper, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika.
- Step 4: Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up into the center of the sheet pan. Roast at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is almost cooked through.
- Step 5: While the chicken roasts, build the glaze in the same Dutch oven you used to sear the chicken. Melt the butter over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom as it melts. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in apple cider and honey.
Add in the thyme sprigs and simmer until the apple cider is reduced by about half, 8 to 10 minutes.
🍎 Use fresh apple cider, not apple juice. Cider is unfiltered and has a much deeper, more complex flavor that really makes this glaze taste incredible. You'll find it in the refrigerated section. In Michigan, it can be found in most grocery stores year-round!
- Step 6: Continue stirring and cooking to thicken. It's done when it coats the back of a spoon, or leaves a line in the pan.
Remove the thyme sprigs, then add in the Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, and apple cider vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
🍯 Don't rush the reduction. That 8 to 10 minutes of simmering is what transforms the cider from thin and tart into something rich, sticky, and deeply flavorful. You'll know it's ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 7: Pull the pan from the oven and spoon or brush the glaze generously over the chicken, apples, and vegetables. Return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 195°F and the glaze is sticky and caramelized.
🌡️ 195°F is the sweet spot for bone-in chicken thighs. We know that sounds high, but thighs are forgiving and actually benefit from that extra time. The collagen breaks down, and the meat turns incredibly juicy and tender rather than drying out the way breasts would.
Let the pan rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle any remaining glaze over the top, finish with fresh thyme and parsley.
Serve straight from the pan over fluffy white rice, egg noodles, or buttermilk mashed potatoes!
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If you make this Sheet Pan Apple Chicken with Cider Honey Butter, we'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below with your rating for the recipe. Share with us by tagging us on Instagram! We love seeing your creations! 📸
📖 Recipe
Chicken and Apples with Cider Honey Butter (Sheet Pan Dinner!)
Equipment
- large skillet or Dutch oven
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons oil divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Roasted Veggies & Apples
- 3 large apples Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp, cut into thick wedges
- 12 ounces sweet potato cut into chunks or sliced into half-moons
- 8 ounces green beans trimmed
- 1 large red onion cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional and to taste
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 6-8 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup apple cider
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional and to taste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat & prep. Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels, this is key for crispy skin. Season generously on all sides with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.2 pounds chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Sear the chicken (optional but recommended). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Sear chicken thighs skin-side down for 3-4 minutes until the skin is golden and begins to crisp up. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Season vegetables & apples. Toss sweet potato, apples, red onion, and green beans with oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and dried thyme. Spread everything on a large sheet pan in a single layer.3 large apples, 12 ounces sweet potato, 8 ounces green beans, 1 large red onion, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Roast. Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up on the sheet pan. Roast at 425°F for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is almost cooked through.
- Make the sauce. While the chicken roasts, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in apple cider and honey, followed by the thyme sprigs. simmer until reduced by about half, 8-10 minutes.3 tablespoons butter, 6-8 cloves garlic, 1 cup apple cider, 4 tablespoons honey, 6 sprigs thyme
- Finish sauce. Remove from the heat, then discard the thyme sprigs. Stir in Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Glaze & finish roasting. Remove the pan from the oven. Spoon or brush the sauce generously over the chicken, apples, and vegetables. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 195°F and the glaze is sticky and caramelized.
- Rest & serve. Let the pan rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the top. Finish with fresh parsley and thyme.
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Notes
- Apple variety: Fuji, Gala, and Honeycrisp all work beautifully here. Cut into thick wedges, about 8-12 per apple, so they caramelize without turning mushy.
- Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on thighs are recommended for the best flavor and texture, but boneless skinless works just fine. Just start checking the internal temp around the 20-minute mark.
- Vegetable swap: Broccolini can be substituted for green beans. Add it in the last 15 minutes of roasting so it doesn't overcook.
- Make ahead: The glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before using.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or in a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Serve right off the pan, or over creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or fluffy white rice.
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