This baked chicken with apples and honey is an easy weeknight dinner for all the family. With fruity flavours from the apple, the sweetness of the honey and a herby hum from the thyme and sage, it's so flavorful and works wonderfully with rice, couscous or mashed potatoes.
You know those meals that give the kitchen the best cozy aroma of sweetness and herbs when baking in the oven? This baked apple chicken is that recipe! It's fragrant, subtly sweet and very easy to make for a family dinner or entertaining. I think it will become a family favorite for you!
Looking for more tasty chicken recipes with tons of flavor? You may like to take a peek at my rosemary chicken fillets, creamy paprika chicken recipe or the coconut chicken skewers, which are perfect for a summer BBQ.
This recipe was updated on 25 March 2023 with new photos and slight amendments to the recipe.
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⭐ Why you'll love this recipe
- Apple baked chicken sweetness! The combination of apple and honey give just the right amount of sweetness, without being overpowering.
- Versatile. Enjoy this baked chicken as a family dinner, or serve when entertaining guests!
- Easy to make. Just a few steps and then the oven does the work for you.
🐓 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
We use fairly minimal ingredients for this recipe, with fresh produce and some pantry staples. Some notes on a few of them:
- Chicken - you want to use whole skinless chicken breasts.
- Apples - I suggest using green apples for their flavorful tartness as it works really nicely with the sweet honey.
- Honey - use runny honey rather than set honey.
- Apple juice - or, alternatively, apple cider (the US kind, not the UK version!).
- Sage and thyme - I suggest using fresh herbs, if possible.
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap chicken breasts for chicken thighs. Both work well, just always be sure they are cooked through.
Swap fresh herbs for dried herbs. In a pinch you can use dried herbs, just reduce the quantity as they are more pungent.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this baked chicken with apples is very simple, with just a few steps:
Step 1
Sear the chicken. Drizzle olive oil in your skillet and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes each side, so you have a nice browning (image 1). Use tongs to place in an ovenproof dish.
Step 2
Make the apple and onion sauce. Drizzle more olive oil (if needed) into the skillet and reduce the heat to low-medium. Saute the onion and garlic until softened, then add the sliced apples and cook for a further minute. Pour in the apple juice and honey, and sprinkle in the thyme, sage, salt and pepper (image 2). Cook for a further few minutes.
Step 3
Bake the chicken. Pour the apple and onion mixture over the chicken and stir so that is evenly coated in the mixture (image 3). Cover the baking tray with foil and bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 165F at its deepest point using a meat thermometer.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- I suggest using green apples as they have a nice tart flavor that balances out with the honey, herbs and onion.
- If using dried herbs, reduce the quantity by at least half as they are far more pungent than fresh herbs.
- For extra sweetness add a little more honey.
- If you have an oven-safe skillet, you can use this to cook the chicken rather than transferring to a suitable dish.
- Always check for an internal temperature of 165F at the deepest point of the chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure it is cooked through.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use either chicken breast or chicken thighs.
Of course! Adjust for more herby flavor with more thyme and sage if you like.
This baked apple chicken is dairy free, gluten free and a low histamine chicken recipe. Have a peek at my low histamine recipes collection for more suitable recipes!
🍽 How to serve baked chicken with apples
If you would like some carbs on the side, this baked chicken with apples goes so well with the following:
- Rice or couscous - always good for dishes with sauce as it mops up all the flavors.
- Cauliflower rice - if you're looking for a lower carb option, you may like to check out my frozen cauliflower rice recipe!
- Mashed potato - this is the preferred option of my little nieces! Try out my creamy potato cauliflower mash for some good old comfort food, or my cheesy cauliflower mash for something a littler lighter.
- Vegetables - enjoy with a side of my air fryer Brussels sprouts, rosemary roasted zucchini and sweet potato or my roasted zucchini and potatoes.
🥣 More delicious chicken recipes
Find so many delicious chicken recipes here on the site, including my popular pesto chicken risotto and pan fried panko chicken. Some recent recipes:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Baked Chicken with Apples and Honey
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- ½ onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1.5 granny smith apples cored and sliced
- ¾ cup apple juice or apple cider
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon sage
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 390F.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into your skillet, and cook the chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes on each side at a medium heat until you have some browning. Use tongs to place in an ovenproof dish (unless you are using a oven-safe skillet).
- In the same skillet add another half tablespoon of oil (if needed) and saute the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the sliced apples and cook for a further minute. Pour in the apple juice and honey, and sprinkle in the thyme, sage, salt and black pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Pour the apple mixture over the chicken, loosely cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes and then serve.
Notes
- I suggest using green apples as their tart flavor balances out nicely with the sweet honey and fragrant herbs.
- If you are using dried herbs rather than fresh, you may wish to reduce the quantity a little as they are more pungent in dried form.
- Always ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F at its deepest point using a meat thermometer.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- garlic, which scores 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
- you may wish to use freshly squeezed apple juice if you are sensitive to juice from a carton.
Karen says
combination of the apple & honey works really well with the chicken. Had it with couscous & another time with mash & veg,lovely
Claire says
So glad you like it Karen! It's quite versatile to have with different sides isn't it.
Camilla says
Lovely combination of flavours!
Claire says
So glad you liked it Camilla!
Tan says
Has anyone tried in an instant pot?
Claire says
I don't have an Instant Pot, but I'm so tempted to get one! Will report back if I make the recipe in it.
Sheryl says
This sounds mouth watering! I wouldn't have thought of apples and chicken together for a tray bake!
throughthefibrofog says
It's a good one - an old family recipe adapted a little. Hope you like it!
Shruti Chopra says
Hahahhaha - "when I asked for ingredient measurements, she looked at me blankly and said, ‘well it’s just what feels right isn’t it’. So helpful mum, so helpful!" - that is exactly how my mum is! Everything is what feels right and I always feel lost when she says that. I do love how you got your mum on this with you despite the lack of measurement help. It's so nice to share family recipes. Thank you for doing that because this seems like a combination I'd never think of.
throughthefibrofog says
It's a lovely experience with family recipes and cooking together isn't it. Makes it feel more special in a way.