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Crockpot Apple Chicken Breast Recipe is the perfect cool weather slow cooker meal. This dish screams fall with sweet apples, savory butternut squash cooked low and slow with chicken breasts and a sweet maple syrup sauce. The spices of ginger and thyme take this dish to the next level and really add a lot of beautiful flavor.
This is one of my favorite slow cooker chicken recipes and would be an easy recipe for a cold winter night or a great dish to serve over the holidays to guests. My apple chicken recipe takes very little time to assemble, then its over to the slow cooker to do all the hard work while I get on with my day.
As a mom of three active boys that are very busy during the week with sports I love having crockpot recipes ready for dinner. My family is often on different schedules for meals and this makes it so easy to have an easy meal on the table. I love the sweet butternut squash and apples paired with the chicken. It really is the perfect fall chicken dish and works nicely for meal prep!
What I love most about slow cooker recipes is that you can dump everything in, set it and forget it until dinner time! If you like crock pot chicken recipes check out Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken, Slow Cooker Mediterranean Whole Chicken and Slow Cooker Butter Chicken.
Recipe Ingredients
You will love this easy recipe and the simple ingredients it uses for the marinade ingredients. It is one of my favorite recipes!
- Chicken: I use 1 lb of chicken breasts in this recipe. You could substitute with chicken thighs or chicken tenders.
- Apples: Two honey crisp apples are sliced and added to the dish. You can substitute any apple variety that you have on hand.
- Squash: Butternut squash is cubed and added to the chicken. I love the sweet flavor it adds to the chicken dish.
- Apricots: I like to add 1/2 cup of apricots, cut in half, to the dish, this is entirely optional and you can leave out if you prefer. If you want the apricot to be more firm you can just add the apricot the last 30 minutes of cooking or use it as a garnish.
- Butter: Butter adds great flavor to the sauce but you can skip that for a healthier version.
- Sauce: The sauce for this dish is make by combining apple cider, maple syrup, brown sugar, ginger, paprika and dried thyme. If there is a flavor that you don’t enjoy then leave it out or substitute with something similar. For example honey is a good swap for maple syrup.
How to Make Crockpot Apple Chicken Breast Recipe
Step 1. Sauté the Chicken: Start by place a large skillet on the stove over a medium/high heat. Add the olive oil to the skillet and once hot, add the chicken to brown each side of the chicken breast.
Step 2. Fill the Crockpot: Add the sautéed chicken to the bottom of your slow cooker, along with the butternut squash, apples, apricots and butter.
Step 3. Make the Sauce: In a medium mixing bowl add in the apple cider, maple syrup, brown sugar, ginger, paprika and dried thyme and whisk until combined. Pour this sauce over the chicken and squash in the Crockpot.
Step 4. Cook the Chicken: Place the lid on the Crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours until the chicken cooks through.
Step 5. Serve the Chicken: Serve the chicken and veggies warm over brown rice or cauliflower rice and garnish with fresh thyme and sage.
Recipe Tips and Modifications
- Chicken: You can easily modify this dish by using chicken thighs or chicken tenders.
- Veggies: I have used butternut squash along with the apple and apricots. But you can add in any other squash, some pumpkin, or other veggies like onion, carrot or parsnip.
- Spices: Add a touch of ground cinnamon to the sauce for a great cinnamon apple chicken flavor.
How to Cook this in the Oven
If you don’t have a Crockpot this apple chicken recipe can be easily made in the oven. Make the recipe as per the recipe card, but instead of adding everything to the Crockpot, add it to a large oven proof dish with a lid, a Dutch oven would be ideal.
Once the dish has been assembled, cover with the lid and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until the squash is tender and the chicken breasts have cooked through.
Storage Tips
- How to Store Leftovers: Once cooked and cooled, leftover chicken and apples can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- How to Freeze: Once cooked and cooled, place into an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator then you can warm it on 300 degrees until warm.
More Chicken Recipes
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Crockpot Apple Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 honey crisp apples, sliced
- 3 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1/2 cup apricots, cut in half {optional}
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme, dried
- thyme , Fresh and sage for garnish
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet and brown each side of the chicken.
- Add the chicken to the crockpot along with the butternut squash, apples, apricots.
- Add the butter into the crockpot.
- In a medium mixing bowl add in the apple cider, maple syrup, brown sugar, ginger, paprika and dried thyme and whisk until combined.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and squash. Cook on low for 4 hours. Serve warm with fresh thyme and sage.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I use frozen butternut squash instead of fresh
I think that would work since you are slow cooking it!