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I love the combination of apples, sweet potatoes and sage in fall cooking, especially when paired with chicken.
This Slow Cooker Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs recipe started with a more involved cider-braised chicken dish that I wanted to simplify. Instead of browning the chicken and braising everything on the stovetop, I adapted it for the slow cooker.
The chicken thighs go into the crock pot with sweet potatoes, shallots, garlic, apple cider and herbs. Several hours later, you’ve got tender chicken and vegetables in a lightly sweet, savory cider broth.
It’s an easy, satisfying dinner with very little hands-on work.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No browning required – Everything goes directly into the slow cooker.
- A complete main dish – Chicken, sweet potatoes and shallots cook together.
- Wonderful fall flavors – Apple cider, sage and thyme complement the chicken and sweet potatoes.
- Simple ingredients – Nothing complicated or difficult to find.
- Easy to prepare ahead – Chop the vegetables and measure the seasonings earlier in the day or the night before.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Chicken thighs – Skinless chicken thighs stay moist and tender during slow cooking. Bone-in thighs work especially well, though boneless thighs can also be used with an adjusted cooking time.
Sweet potatoes – Cut into fairly large cubes so they hold their shape during cooking. Butternut squash is another option, though it may soften more quickly.
Shallots – Their mild, slightly sweet onion flavor is particularly good with apple cider and sage. A small yellow onion can be substituted.
Garlic – Fresh garlic adds savory flavor to balance the sweeter ingredients.
Chicken broth – Forms the base of the cooking liquid along with the cider. Reduced-sodium broth gives you more control over the seasoning.
Apple cider – Use regular, nonalcoholic apple cider, not apple cider vinegar. It adds a gentle apple sweetness that works beautifully with the chicken and sweet potatoes. Unsweetened apple juice can be substituted.
Cider vinegar – Just a little acidity helps balance the sweetness of the cider and vegetables.
Dried thyme and sage – These earthy herbs are especially good with chicken and sweet potatoes. If using fresh herbs, start with about three times the dried amount.
Salt and pepper – Season the chicken before cooking, then taste the broth and adjust before serving.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs
Step 1: Season the Chicken
Sprinkle the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Arrange them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step 2: Add the Sweet Potatoes and Shallots
Scatter the cubed sweet potatoes and sliced shallots over the chicken.
Step 3: Mix the Cider Broth
In a measuring cup or small bowl (affiliate link), combine the garlic, chicken broth, apple cider, cider vinegar, thyme, sage and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
Stir together and pour evenly over the chicken and vegetables.
Step 4: Slow Cook Until Tender
Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes are tender:
- LOW: About 6 hours
- HIGH: About 3½ to 4 hours
The chicken should reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Step 5: Taste and Serve
Taste the cooking liquid and adjust the seasoning as needed.
I like adding a little extra splash of cider vinegar just before serving to brighten the flavors.
Spoon the sweet potatoes and shallots onto plates, add a chicken thigh and ladle a little of the cider broth over everything.
Recipe Notes
Keep the sweet potato pieces fairly large. Smaller cubes may become too soft during the long cooking time. I don’t mind a few pieces breaking down into the broth, but it’s nice when most hold their shape.
Don’t skip the cider vinegar. With apple cider, sweet potatoes and shallots, this dish has quite a bit of natural sweetness. The vinegar helps balance everything.
Cooking times vary. Start checking toward the shorter end of the suggested cooking time, especially if your slow cooker tends to run hot.
Bone-in or boneless thighs? Either can work, but boneless thighs may cook more quickly. The exact timing depends on their size and your slow cooker.
How Many Calories and WW Points?
According to my calculations, each serving (1 chicken thigh and about 3/4 cup sweet potato-shallot mixture) has about:
- Calories: 344
- To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) - Old WW Points: 8 PointsPlus
If you’ve made this Slow Cooked Cider-Braised Chicken, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 8 large shallots, peeled and thickly sliced
- 1 large garlic clove, pressed
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Instructions
- Ideal slow cooker size: 4-Quart.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Layer the seasoned chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Add the sweet potatoes and shallots on top of the chicken.
- In bowl or measuring cup, stir together the garlic, chicken broth, apple cider, vinegar, thyme, sage and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour over the vegetables and chicken.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for about 3-1/2 hours, or on LOW for about 6 hours. (Mine was done after about 4 hours on high, so I switched my slow cooker to warm until we were ready to eat.)
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings. I added a little more salt, pepper and another teaspoon of vinegar at the end to liven it up.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 8 PointsPlus (Old plan) Because of the temperature differences among slow cookers, your cooking times may be different. You’ll know this dish is ready, when the meat and sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork or knife.
If you cook it too long, your sweet potatoes will get mushy, not a terrible thing! The original recipe called for fresh sage and thyme, but since I only had dried I used them instead. If you do use fresh, which would be delicious, you’ll want to increase the amounts to about 2 teaspoons of each.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Beer and Herbes de Provence – Another simple chicken thigh recipe with rustic, French-inspired flavors.
- Slow Cooker Chicken with Gravy – An easy comfort-food dinner that’s especially good with mashed potatoes.
- Cheesy Crock Pot Southwestern Chicken — bold, zesty flavors with minimal effort.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore – Chicken simmered with tomatoes and Italian seasonings.
More Slow Cooker Inspiration
For more easy, WW-friendly slow cooker recipes, check out my Slow Cook Yourself Slim Ultimate eBook Bundle
