1
Cut the apples in to 16ths, taking care to cut out the hard parts of the core. Leave the skins on.
2
Pat the chicken dry and slice in half along the thickness of the breast to create two even halves about ¾” thick. Season with salt and pepper and then dredge in a shallow dish containing the flour. Shake off the excess flour and set aside.
3
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, drop in the apples. Cook, taking care to evenly brown both sides of each apple slice. They will only brown slightly, but you can tell they are done when they start to become translucent at the edges. When done, set aside for later.
4
Using the same skillet, melt some more butter and wait until it foams. Lightly brown the chicken on each side, (about 2 minutes per side) working in batches, if necessary. Set aside until needed.
5
Using the same skillet, sautée the onion and thyme until golden and translucent (5–7 minutes).
6
-
½
cup
apple cider
-
½
cup
chicken stock
Add the cider and stock and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the chicken reaches 160°F (8–12 minutes).
7
-
½
cup
heavy cream
-
2
tsp
vinegar, apple cider
-
1
tbsp
chives, fresh (minced)
Transfer the chicken to a covered serving dish. Add the cream, and cook on high, stirring constantly, until reduced to the desired thickness (about 2 minutes). Stir in the vinegar and any chicken juices from the serving dish. Bring up to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for a few minutes.
8
Layer the apples over the chicken in the serving dish, and then spoon the sauce and onions over both.