Maple roasted chicken and sweet potatoes begins with seared chicken thighs, apples, onions, and tender sweet potatoes tossed in maple syrup and olive oil, and it’s all baked together until tender. It’s a healthy, cozy, fall dinner the entire family will love.
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This is the best time of the year. The end of summer is fast approaching, but the garden is still in full production mode while the fall produce is starting to ripen.
The sweet potatoes are dug up, the apples picked one by one from the trees. New recipes are always in the works. The sweet fruits of summer are swapped with tastes of fall, like squash, apples, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.
I love to come up with new ways to use these delicious fall delicacies, and this maple roasted chicken with sweet potatoes and apples was absolutely delightful.
Seared chicken is roasted with maple-coated apples and sweet potatoes, then baked in the oven until tender. This makes such a pleasing meal. It’s perfect for Sunday lunch or dinner. It’s filling, with a lovely balance of sweetness.
Adding apples to savory dishes (like in this new recipe for sausage and apple stuffed acorn squash) may be my new favorite thing. It adds a wonderful, natural sweetness without being too overpowering.
Plus, it is a great way to add apples that are in currently season, so we will be adding them to just about everything. Apple butter, apple pie, sourdough apple pie, French toast casserole, and of course, apple sauce.
Why you will love this recipe:
Delicious: A recipe the whole family will enjoy. Savory chicken with the sweetness from the sweet potatoes, apples, and a hint of maple syrup. This dish packs tons of flavor.
Easy dinner: Perfect for a busy weeknight. This one-pan meal is great for when you want a filling and healthy meal, but not make an awful lot of dishes.
Healthy recipe: This healthy dinner is packed with nutrient dense ingredients, it is filling and oh so good for you.
Ingredients:
Chicken thighs: I love using chicken thighs since they tend to have more flavor and a moister than chicken breasts. Could also use skinless chicken breasts if desired.
Apple: Adds more fall flavors and a light sweetness. Whatever apple variety you have available will work.
Maple syrup: This adds such a yummy flavor and helps brown the chicken nicely.
Fresh thyme and sage: Rosemary is another good option.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Tools:
Cast iron skillet or a oven safe large skillet
Cutting board
Knife
Large bowl
How To Make Maple Roasted Chicken With Sweet Potatoes
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large, cast iron skillet over medium/high heat on the stovetop for a few minutes. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet and place chicken thighs, skin side down, for a few minutes to make the skin crispy. Usually, the skin will stick to the pan until it’s browned enough and then it “releases” itself. So if it is still sticking, it may not be ready to flip yet.
Step 2: While the chicken is browning, chop sweet potatoes, quarter onions, and dice the apples.
Step 3: Combine remaining one tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Toss the sweet potatoes, apples, and onions in the oil and maple syrup mixture.
Step 4: Flip chicken thighs skin side up and arrange sweet potatoes, apples, and onions around the chicken in the cast iron skillet.
Step 6: Sprinkle the thyme and sage over top. Bake for one hour, or until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Potatoes and apples should be fork tender.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with some sourdough rolls or a French bread.
Tips For Making Maple Roasted Chicken
- Bone-in chicken thighs have so much more flavor than chicken breast. You can substitute chicken breasts, though, if you prefer them or simply can’t find thighs.
- Add fresh herbs for a burst of flavor. Thyme and sage are my favorite, and rosemary would also be delicious.
- Don’t skip the browning of the chicken skin. It adds so much flavor, and makes the skin super crispy.
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you could use an oven-safe skillet or brown the chicken in a skillet and transfer it to an oven-safe baking dish.
- Lock the chicken juices in by allowing the chicken to cool a few minutes before slicing.
FAQ:
Absolutely. Chicken and sweet potatoes are so delicious paired together.
Really any meat pairs well with sweet potatoes. I find that chicken pairs really nicely with the flavors and natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. Sausage is another favorite pairing.
Yes, that will work. You will have to be more careful of overcooking the chicken as baked chicken breasts can be more dry than chicken thighs.
Find More Delicious Chicken Dinner Ideas:
- Easy Orange Chicken – From Scratch
- Homemade Creamy Chicken And Gnocchi Soup
- Creamy Chicken And Mushroom Pasta
- Chicken Marsala Soup
- One Skillet Creamy Peach Chicken
- Sourdough Oven-Fried Chicken
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars!
Maple Roasted Chicken With Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 small onion
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 medium apple
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop for a few minutes.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet and place chicken thighs, skin side down, for a few minutes to make the skin crispy. Usually, the skin will stick to the pan until it’s browned enough and then it “releases” itself. So if it is still sticking, it may not be ready to flip yet.
- While the chicken is browning, peel and chop sweet potatoes, quarter onions, and dice the apples.
- Combine remaining one tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Toss the sweet potatoes, apples, and onions in the oil and maple syrup mixture.
- Flip chicken thighs skin side up and arrange sweet potatoes, apples, and onions around the chicken in the cast iron skillet.
- Sprinkle the thyme and sage over top. Bake for one hour, or until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Potatoes and apples should be fork tender.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken thighs have so much more flavor than chicken breast. You can substitute chicken breasts, though, if you prefer them or simply can’t find thighs.
- Add fresh herbs for a burst of flavor. Thyme and sage are my favorite, and rosemary would also be delicious.
- Don’t skip the browning of the chicken skin. It adds so much flavor, and the skin is super crispy.
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you could use an oven-safe skillet or brown the chicken in a skillet and transfer it to an oven-safe baking dish or baking sheet.
- Cooking time will be determined by the size of the chicken breasts.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sounds delicious! However, in the notes you say depending on the size of the chicken breasts, in the recipe you say chicken thighs
If I only have skinless chicken thighs should I still sear them first?
I would still sear them first!
We loved it 🥰
I had been feeling discouraged with meal planning as of late, so I landed here to see how I could find simple, no fuss recipes. This dish was delicious and SO simple to prepare; thank you for the help and inspiration. It was also a nice October kick off meal, even if it is still over 100 degrees in AZ! I look forward to trying more recipes for the fall and winter months!
Love this recipe… however I increased to 6 skinless thighs, and added scallions, more maple syrup and veggies! Delicious! I also made it with rosemary… will try thyme next time!
I just happened to have everything on hand to make this dish and it turned out perfectly! The chicken was crisp, the veggies were tender and the flavor was incredible! I made it with rosemary, since we didn’t have fresh thyme- still delicious! 10/10 would make again!
Can’t wait to try this recipe, but it says 6 servings but only calls for 4 chicken thighs – how does that work?
I may need to update that! I will take a look at the recipe again.
I absolutely loved this recipe and your entire blog!!! You are living my dream!!
Can this recipe be converted to a crockpot recipe somehow? How would I go about doing that with like chicken breast instead?
So glad you enjoyed it! I have never tried it in a crockpot. I would think it would work okay with chicken breast. For flavor, you can always brown the chicken first and then add it to the crockpot as well. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
I want to make this with a whole chicken… hope it works similarly
Let me know how it turns out!
Oh I am going to try the same tonight! How did it go???
This was one of the best recipes I’ve tried in a while.
I used boneless skinless thighs, red onion, green apple and dried thyme leaves. I tossed in some frozen broccoli for color.
The flavors are delicious yet not time consuming to prepare. Will definitely make it again!
That sounds delicious. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.