Description
A cozy, one-pan dinner featuring seared chicken thighs, sweet Italian sausage, and caramelized apples finished with a rich brown butter sage sauce. Perfect for impressing guests with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage links, sliced into coins
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 medium firm apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady), peeled and diced
- 1 large red onion, sliced into half-moons
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried sage (or 10–12 fresh sage leaves)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup apple cider or dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Balsamic glaze (optional, for drizzling)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Slice sausages, dice apples, slice onions, and mince garlic.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken thighs dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced sausages to the same pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned. Remove to the plate with the chicken, leaving fat in the pan.
- Add sliced onions to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until softening. Add apple slices and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and dried sage, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in apple cider (or wine) and chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Return chicken and sausage to the pan, nestling them into the vegetables.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add fresh sage leaves (if using) and cook until butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Pour this sage butter over the skillet.
- Add honey and stir to combine. Simmer for 1 minute to coat everything. Taste and adjust salt. Serve immediately with crusty bread or mashed potatoes.
Notes
Do not crowd the pan to ensure proper searing. Choose firm apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji to prevent mushiness. Brown butter carefully as it burns quickly. This recipe is naturally gluten-free if using certified GF sausage and broth. For a vegetarian version, swap proteins for mushrooms and chickpeas and use vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the skillet
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: chicken and apple sausage skillet, one pan dinner, fall recipes, sage butter, easy weeknight dinner, dinner party food