Chicken and Apples in Honey Mustard Sauce

Simple and quick chicken breast with apples cooked in broth, with a honey mustard sauce.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Published October 24, 2011
Elise Bauer
Chicken Apples Honey Mustard
Elise Bauer

Looking for a quick and easy chicken breast recipe? This one is perfect for fall.

You just dredge chicken breasts in a little flour, brown them and apple slices in a little olive oil, and pull everything together with a simple honey mustard sauce.

It all cooks in one pot, in 30 minutes. We like serving it with rice or noodles, a great way to sop up that extra sauce!

This recipe is a version of one that came from my friend Heidi in Massachusetts, who pulled it from the Boston Globe years ago.

For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples.

Chicken Apple Honey Mustard
Elise Bauer

Chicken and Apples in Honey Mustard Sauce

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 servings

The sauce this recipe produces is fairly mild. If you would like a more intensely honey-mustard sauce, double up on the apple cider/mustard/honey mixture and skip the broth.

Please do NOT use red delicious apples for this recipe. That variety of apple simply does not cook well.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sweet apple cider
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup flour, for dredging
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 small unpeeled apples, cored and cut into eighths (use Fuji, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Jonagold, Pippin, or McIntosh apples, good cooking apples)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Method

  1. Whisk apple cider, cornstarch, mustard, honey, salt and pepper:

    (to taste) in a bowl. Set aside.

  2. Salt the chicken well and dust in flour:

    Shake off the excess.

  3. Brown the chicken breasts and apple slices:

    In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil on medium to medium high heat. Once the oil is hot add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook until well browned on one side, about 3-4 minutes.

    Turn chicken, add apples, and cook until the chicken has browned on the other side.

    chicken-apples-honey-mustard-method-1
    Elise Bauer
  4. Add broth cider mixture, cover and simmer:

    Add chicken broth and cider mixture to the pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and simmer until chicken is tender, about 15 minutes.


    chicken-apples-honey-mustard-method-2
    Elise Bauer
  5. Reduce sauce:

    With slotted spoon, remove chicken and apples to serving plates. Increase the heat of the pan to high and simmer the sauce for a minute or two until it thickens.

    Spoon sauce over chicken and apples and sprinkle with parsley.

    Serve with rice or noodles.

Recipe is adapted by one by Jean Kressy of the Boston Globe.

Links:

Chicken Sausage with Apple Slaw - from Steamy Kitchen

Gouda-Stuffed Chicken with Apple Pan Sauce - from Recipe Girl

Chicken Apples Honey Mustard
Elise Bauer