by Alison Boyd-Savage
The brutal winter of 2025/26 will certainly be one for the history books. The bleak weather outside calls for sustaining food enjoyed in the comfort of our homes.
As a break from traditional wine-based stews, I have taken inspiration from the French apple growing capital of Normandy, to create a hearty dish of chicken thighs cooked in hard cider. Drier than regular apple cider, it creates a slightly sweet and rich sauce and tender, juicy meat. Although we do not have the rolling orchards of Northwestern France on the East End, in recent years we have seen more cider producers entering this market.
In addition to local wine and beer, you can now enjoy a glass of crisp, cold, hard cider at several venues and purchase a pint or two for home cooking. A star ingredient in savory dishes, it will also add a touch of magic to apple sauce and pies. Warmer days will return soon, but with recipes like this in your repertoire, the wait will seem much sweeter.
Crispy Chicken Thighs with Hard Cider
The chicken skin needs to be really crisp. To achieve this, I started the chicken in a cool pan and slowly rendered the skin until it was really brown. It allows for a longer time to reduce the fat and achieve the desired texture. A heavy cast iron pan works best. In addition to local products, hard cider from the Hudson Valley is available at area supermarkets in 12 oz. bottles.
Ingredients
6–8 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 bay leaf
16 fluid ounces hard cider
1 cup chicken broth
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh Italian parsley
Method
Pat chicken thighs dry and trim excess skin and fat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron pan for 30 seconds. Lightly salt the thighs and place them skin side down in the pan. Cook on low-medium heat until skin is crisp and brown, moving pieces as needed for even browning.
Once crispy, transfer to a plate skin side up. Use a paper towel to wipe out the pan and remove any burnt chicken skin. Pour in two tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium. Add the diced onions, reduce the heat a bit, and ¼ tsp sea salt and cook them for about five minutes until they’re soft and translucent.
Next, mix in the paprika, smoked paprika, bay leaf and Aleppo pepper, stirring and cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle in a little more extra virgin olive oil, then gently add the garlic and cook until it’s soft but not browned. Pour in the cider and chicken broth, and when it is simmering carefully add the chicken thighs. To preserve the crispness, do not submerge the chicken skin in the liquid.
Taste the mixture and add a little more salt if necessary. Continue to simmer the thighs for a further 20-25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce is reduced slightly. (As an alternative to finishing the dish on the stove top, transfer the pan to the center of a preheated 350-degree oven and cook for about 20 minutes.)
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes and broccoli. For flavorful broccoli, steam briefly, then sauté with garlic, chili flakes, olive oil, and salt for a couple of minutes.
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