Christmas Rosemary Apple Cider Chicken
This festive Christmas Rosemary Apple Cider Chicken features tender chicken breasts simmered in a fragrant apple cider and rosemary sauce. Perfect for holiday dinners with simple yet elegant presentation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Saute, Simmer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
- 1 apple, thinly sliced (for garnish)
- Additional fresh rosemary sprigs (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and chopped rosemary and saute for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in apple cider and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a simmer.
- Return chicken to the skillet, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Increase heat to medium-high and let the sauce simmer for 5-7 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Stir in butter and honey (if using) until butter is melted and sauce is glossy.
- Return chicken to the skillet to coat with sauce, or pour sauce over chicken when serving. Garnish with apple slices and fresh rosemary sprigs before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh rosemary for best flavor as dried rosemary can be overpowering. For extra flavor, marinate chicken in apple cider, garlic, and rosemary for 30 minutes before cooking.
- If sauce is too thin, continue simmering to reduce further. If too thick, add a little more chicken broth to reach desired consistency.
- Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently and add extra broth if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg