One-Pan Roasted Chicken With Apples and Leeks
A perfect fall dinner: chicken thighs or legs dusted in flour and roasted with leeks, apples and garlic in a bath of apple cider, and flavoured with a shower of thyme. The skin on the chicken crisps up beautifully while the leeks, garlic, and apple melt into sweetness.
You can play with the liquid used for the sauce. You will need two cups of liquid in total. I’ve used 1 cup hard cider and 1 cup chicken broth. If you want to go alcohol free, you can substitute regular apple cider or a sugar free apple juice instead of the hard cider.
Roast some baby potatoes to serve alongside along with some crisp green beans.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 491kcal
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin-on
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium leeks white, and light green parts
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 crisp apples cored, and cut into eighths
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 cup hard apple cider (or 1/2 cup regular apple cider and 1/2 cup white wine)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 8 sprigs of thyme
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put 2 tablespoons of the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shake to remove excess flour and set aside.
- Prepare the leeks; Cut off the stem and dark green part of the leek and set aside. Cut the white and light green section of the leek in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly. Slice crosswise into ¼ in slices.Heat the oil in a large roasting pan, sauté the leeks until soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and cook, stirring for another minute. Remove the pan from the heat.TIP: Don't throw out the dark of the leeks green parts! They are great for using to flavour a stock. Rinse, and and let dry then pop into a freezer bag to have on hand for the next time you are making a stock.
- Cut the apples in half and core them. Then cut each apple half into 4 pieces
- Nestle the floured chicken in the pan with the leeks and garlic surrounding it. Season the chicken with the dried thyme. Arrange the apple slices around the chicken, then tuck in 4 of the sprigs of fresh thyme. Add the cider and stock to the pan.
- Place the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with the pan juices then continue roasting for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through.
- Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnished with the remaining fresh thyme.
Nutrition
Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 532mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 946IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!