AIP one-pan chicken thighs with apples - seared and braised, fiber and polyphenol source

A single skillet does the whole meal here, so there's only 1 thing to wash at the end of a week when washing anything else feels like too much. Thighs seared skin-side down until deeply golden, then braised with apple, shallot, garlic, cinnamon, and thyme, and finished in the oven. It smells like fall by the time it's done, and the cleanup stays honest.

The apple in this braise is doing more than sweetening the pan. Its fiber and polyphenols are linked to a steadier gut environment, exactly the terrain an autoimmune body is trying to hold onto right now. Cinnamon and thyme layer in their own plant compounds too, mostly for warmth and depth here, not just for nutrition.

Skin-on thighs are worth using fully: skin crisped, pan juices spooned back over everything at the end, so nothing on the plate goes to waste. Bring the whole skillet to the table if you want to skip a dish, spoon the soft apple over the chicken, and let the smell reach you before the fork does.

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Sea salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 shallots, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup chicken bone broth or stock
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cinnamon stick

Method

Heat the oven to 400 F. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides generously with sea salt. Dry skin is what gets you a crisp sear.

Warm about 2 tbsp of the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the thighs in skin-side down and leave them alone for 5 to 7 minutes, until the skin is golden and releases easily. Turn and sear the other side for 2 to 3 minutes, then move the thighs to a plate. Times are estimated and flagged for verify.

Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the apple slices and the cinnamon stick and stir for another minute.

Pour in the chicken broth and apple cider vinegar, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Nestle the thighs back in, skin-side up, so the skin stays above the liquid.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the apples are soft. Spoon the pan juices over before serving.

Air fryer variation

Air fry the seasoned thighs at 380 F for about 22 to 25 minutes, turning once, until the skin is crisp and the chicken is cooked through. Make the apple braise on the stovetop in a skillet and spoon it over the thighs, since the apples and shallots are not suited to the air fryer basket. Air fryer time is estimated and flagged for verify.

Bring the pan to the table, spoon the soft apples over the chicken, and let the warmth of it land.

*Adapted from healmedelicious.com*