This one-pan chicken and apples is an easy skillet dinner made with tender chicken, vegetables and apples. This dish is the quintessential fall recipe!

Close-up of apple chicken recipe in a skillet with sweet potatoes, broccoli, bacon, apples and juicy chicken chunks.

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Chicken and Apples Skillet

This time of year apples are in season and I love coming up with both savory dishes with apples and sweet apple desserts. This one pan chicken and apples may seem odd but is one of my favorite fall dinner pairings and is a complete meal in one pan.

This apple chicken recipe starts out with chicken and also includes bacon plus lots of fresh fall vegetables. It’s a savory fall dinner recipe like homemade chicken pot pie recipe or chicken stuffed crescent rolls but has a hint of warm sweetness from apples and cinnamon.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Skillet dinner. It doesn’t get any better than an easy one-pot meal. No oven is required and the cleanup is super easy!
  • Sweet and savory. This apple chicken dish has the best of both worlds! Savory bacon and veggies paired with sweet apples and cinnamon is a match made in heaven.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for apple chicken recipe arranged on a cutting board, including chicken breast, apples, bacon, sweet potatoes, broccoli, garlic, and chicken stock.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Chicken: I’m using chicken breast because that’s what my family prefers, but you could easily swap it for chicken thighs.
  • Bacon: The bacon adds great flavor, but if you’re looking to cut costs or don’t have any on hand, you can leave it out.
  • Sweet potato: I love using sweet potatoes for the punch of flavor, but you could easily swap them for baby gold or red potatoes.
  • Broccoli: We are big fans of broccoli, but if you’re not you can easily swap this out for green beans.
  • Apples: The apples add the perfect touch to this fall chicken recipe. I love using Granny Smith to add the tartness this dish deserves.

How to Make This Apple Chicken Recipe

Step-by-step photos showing how to make apple chicken skillet: cooking chicken, browning bacon, adding apples, veggies, and seasonings, then stirring to finish.
  1. Cook the meat. In a large pan, cook the chicken until no longer pink and lightly browned on the exterior. Then remove from the skillet onto a paper-towel lined plate.
  2. Add bacon. Cook the bacon in the same pan and once cooked through, place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Leave some bacon fat in the pan to flavor the veggies.
  3. Mix in vegetables. Sauté the broccoli, sweet potatoes, and chopped onion in the reserved bacon fat until tender and caramelized. Give it a stir every few minutes so all sides roast evenly.
  4. Apples. Once the vegetables are tender, add in the apples, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, and half of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook until the stock evaporates. Then add the cooked chicken back in, as well as the remaining chicken stock, and simmer until heated through. Top with bacon right before serving.
Overhead shot of one pan apple chicken dinner in a white skillet with sweet potatoes, green apples, broccoli, and crispy bacon.

Helpful Tips

Here are some helpful tips to make this apple chicken recipe even easier!

  • Bacon grease. Cook the veggies in the bacon grease! It adds so much extra flavor to the dish.
  • Cinnamon. The cinnamon adds a nice fall flavor. You could always add in more or less to taste.
  • Crisp apples. I used Granny Smith apples because they are crisp and don’t get mushy when cooked. Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious are other good options.
Close-up of apple chicken skillet with sweet potatoes, broccoli, bacon, and juicy chicken chunks being scooped with a wooden spoon.

More one pot meals include pot pie soup, one pot pumpkin chili and one-pan balsamic chicken and veggies.

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Chicken and apples in a pot with wooden spoon.

Apple Chicken Recipe

4.98 from 34 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
This one-pan chicken and apples is an easy skillet dinner made with tender chicken, vegetables and apples. This dish is the quintessential fall recipe!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast , cut into 1-inch cubes
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , divided
  • 4-8 slices thick-cut bacon , chopped
  • 3 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 medium sweet potato , peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 medium white onion , peeled and chopped
  • 2 granny smith apples , cored and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , to taste
  • 1 cup chicken stock , or chicken broth (divided)

Instructions

  • Cook chicken. In a large, nonstick pan, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat, until shimmering. Add 1 pound cubed chicken, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Fry bacon. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 4-8 slices bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave 1 1/2 Tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.
  • Add vegetables. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 3 cups broccoli, 1 cubed sweet potato, 1 chopped onion, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the onion is translucent.
  • Add seasonings and combine. Stir in 2 diced apples, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in 1/2 cup chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook until the stock has evaporated. Add the chicken and remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cook until heated through. Stir in the bacon. Serve warm.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Variations: 
  • Swap out sweet potatoes for baby gold or red potatoes.
  • If you don’t love broccoli you can omit or swap for green beans.
  • While the bacon does give great flavor, you can omit if preferred. 
Storage: Store leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet over low heat until warm. 

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 59mg, Sodium: 667mg, Potassium: 721mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 5694IU, Vitamin C: 47mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Variations

  • This recipe for chicken and apples is easy to customize with seasonal produce like butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and bacon, or pears.
  • You can also add more fall herbs like fresh rosemary or swap dried thyme for fresh thyme sprigs.
  • The chicken would also taste amazing cooked in brown butter instead of olive oil for a more nutty and caramelized flavor.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this apple chicken recipe without bacon?

Sure! The dish will still be plenty flavorful without it, so feel free to omit the bacon completely if preferred. I happen to love the saltiness it adds, as well as the flavor the bacon grease gives to the vegetables, so I always leave it in.

What to serve with chicken and apples?

While your dinner cooks on the stove, whip up a batch of my sweet cornbread or cornbread muffins to serve alongside this skillet dinner. Talk about the ultimate comfort meal!

How to store leftover apple chicken?

Any leftovers of this apple chicken recipe will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can use the microwave to warm it back up or heat it on the stove for a crispier result.

Recipe originally contributed by Katie from Purely Katie for I Heart Naptime.