Description
A cozy, beginner-friendly one-pan weeknight dinner featuring juicy chicken thighs, spicy apple-cheddar sausage, and caramelized Honeycrisp apples in a rich sage butter sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 lb apple cheddar sausage links, sliced into half-moons
- 2 large firm apples (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and diced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
- Black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 small yellow onion, diced
- Optional: 2 cups fresh spinach
- Optional: 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Slice sausage, cut chicken into chunks, dice apples, mince garlic, and pat chicken dry with paper towels.
- Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary) and season with salt and pepper. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced sausage to the same skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. Remove sausage to the plate with the chicken.
- Add diced apples to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Add a splash of oil if the pan is dry.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted and foaming, add sage leaves and cook for 30 seconds until crispy. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 1 minute, then stir in honey.
- Return chicken and sausage to the pan. Add heavy cream (if using). Stir to combine.
- Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra sage leaves and black pepper.
Notes
Pat chicken dry before cooking to ensure proper browning. Do not crowd the pan to avoid steaming. Use fresh sage for best flavor; dried sage can taste dusty. If the sauce separates, remove from heat and whisk in a splash of cold water or cream. This recipe does not freeze well due to the cream sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the skillet
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 32
Keywords: fall recipe, chicken sausage skillet, one pan dinner, easy weeknight meal, apple cheddar sausage, sage butter sauce, beginner friendly cooking