This publish could comprise affiliate hyperlinks. For extra data, please see our affiliate coverage.
Rooster with Apples and Maple-Lime Sauce is a fast and simple one-pan, 30-minute restaurant-quality dinner that a complete household will love! This quick and simple, family-friendly weeknight meal options savory rooster and candy contemporary apples. It is dairy-free, gluten-free, and excessive in protein.
30-minute one-pan weeknight dinner
Rooster with apples is a scrumptious 30-minute dinner recipe made solely in a single pan! This fast and simple, family-friendly weeknight meal combines savory, candy, and tart flavors. The rooster is seared to perfection and is tender, juicy, and moist. The candy purple apples (I used Fuji) are roasted in olive oil after which caramelized with maple syrup and lime juice and topped with contemporary thyme. The apple sauce has a sticky and syrupy texture, like a glaze. I like to recommend utilizing candy purple apples with a firmer texture, corresponding to Fuji, Honey Crisp, or Gala. This can be a must-make rooster dinner to make in late Summer season or within the Fall when the apples are in season and have the very best texture! You may additionally like pan-seared pork chops with caramelized apples.
Why you may like it
- The clean-up is a breeze since you could have just one pan to wash! An ideal selection for a busy household weeknight dinner! Your loved ones will love daring flavors and vibrant colours on this scrumptious 30-minute rooster dinner.
- Rooster with cooked apples is a well-balanced one-pan meal that mixes protein (skinless boneless rooster tenderloins) with fruit (apples). This recipe is excessive in protein, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
What sort of rooster to make use of
- Rooster tenders or tenderloins. That is what I used on this fast recipe.
- Skinless and boneless rooster thighs – the darkish meat of rooster thighs is juicy and tender and may be very forgiving to prepare dinner.
- Skinless and boneless rooster breasts are inclined to dry out sooner, so remember to watch your cooking occasions intently, making certain that the rooster is cooked right through shortly, with out drying out.
- What about bone-in rooster? I don’t suggest it because it takes for much longer to prepare dinner.
How to decide on the very best apples for cooking
- Use candy purple apples. This recipe works finest with sweeter apples, corresponding to Gala, Fuji, or Honey Crisp. You may make this with extra tart apples (corresponding to Granny Smith inexperienced apples), however you’ll have to add extra maple syrup to the sauce so as to add sweetness.
- Select a agency texture. Select a fruit that is agency and crisp. Keep away from overripe apples which are simply indented when touched. Agency apples will maintain up the very best and never collapse when cooking.
Nice for meal prep
This simple 30-minute one-pan meal is ideal for meal prep, making forward, making ready on a busy weeknight, or freezing for the longer term! The entire recipe makes use of just some elements and takes solely half-hour.
Cooking suggestions
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking the rooster. Creating house between the rooster tenderloins will enable the rooster to sear properly as a substitute of steaming. Use a big sufficient pan to accommodate your rooster, or work in batches. The cast-iron pan works the very best!
- Use contemporary, agency purple apples. They work nice for presentation functions. The agency texture will maintain up beneath the warmth of cooking. This recipe is ideal to make in late Summer season and Fall when the apples are in season and are at their finest.
- Don’t peel the apples. Preserve the apples’ pores and skin on – not solely does it add coloration and vibrancy to the dish, however it additionally helps hold apple slices collectively. Additionally, the pores and skin has plenty of fiber – you wish to hold it. Be sure you wash apples completely in heat working water to take away any grime and particles.
- Use contemporary herbs corresponding to thyme so as to add extra taste to this candy and savory dish! Recent herbs all the time pair fantastically with the rooster and fruit mixture. Recent basil is one other herb that may work nicely on this recipe.
Storage and reheating suggestions
- Fridge. Retailer the leftover rooster with apples in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days.
- Freezer. You possibly can freeze this dish for as much as a month.
- Reheat within the microwave for about 30 seconds. Test and reheat for 30 seconds extra or longer.
- Reheat on the stovetop. You too can reheat the leftovers on medium warmth within the skillet on the stovetop. When reheating, add a small quantity of olive oil to the skillet.
What to serve with rooster and apples
- Roasted spaghetti squash is a superb low-carb different to common pasta. You too can mix spaghetti squash with different veggies as on this widespread recipe: Spaghetti Squash with Spinach, Bacon, and Pine Nuts.
- Wild rice is a superb Fall-inspired aspect dish to pair with rooster and apples. Season the wild rice generously with salt and pepper as wild rice might be bland. Or make my wild rice pilaf.
- Roasted greens. You possibly can add roasted Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, inexperienced beans, onions, and mushrooms – all these will complement rooster and apples.
- Pasta. Put together a easy aspect of pasta coated in garlic and olive oil sauce or butter. Angel hair pasta, fusilli, or farfalle (bow-tie pasta) work nicely.
- Cauliflower rice. You need to use contemporary or frozen (defrosted).
- Quinoa. Cook dinner quinoa in rooster broth so as to add richness. Then toss with garlic and contemporary herbs.
Different rooster recipes with fruit

Rooster with Apples and Maple-Lime Sauce
Rooster with Apples and Maple-Lime Sauce is a fast and simple one-pan, 30-minute restaurant-quality dinner that a complete household will love! This quick and simple, family-friendly weeknight meal options savory rooster and candy contemporary apples. It is dairy-free, gluten-free, and excessive in protein.
Substances
Apples
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 giant purple apples completely washed, cored, and sliced (Gala, Fuji, or Honey Crisp)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 medium lime sliced
Directions
Cook dinner rooster
-
Season rooster thighs with paprika, chili powder (not spicy type), Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
-
Warmth a big, high-sided, 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium warmth for two minutes. This permits the cast-iron skillet to warmth by.
-
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add seasoned rooster tenderloins. Cook dinner the rooster on medium warmth for five minutes on one aspect with out shifting it.
-
Flip the rooster thighs over, cut back warmth to low-medium, and prepare dinner for about 5 extra minutes or longer till completely cooked. Take away rooster from the skillet to a plate or a bowl.
Cook dinner apples
-
To the identical, now empty, skillet, on medium warmth, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sliced apples and prepare dinner them for five minutes per both sides (10 minutes whole). They need to get tender and pliable. Take away from warmth.
-
Add maple syrup and lime juice to the skillet with cooked apples and stir to mix.
Meeting
-
Add cooked rooster to the skillet with cooked apples and reheat on low warmth, stirring every part collectively.
-
Add extra maple syrup and lime juice to style, if you happen to like.
-
Prime with contemporary thyme. Garnish with contemporary lime slices.
Diet Disclaimer:
The dietary data on this web site is barely an estimate and is supplied for comfort and as a courtesy solely. The accuracy of the dietary data for any recipe on this web site shouldn’t be assured. It shouldn’t be used as an alternative to knowledgeable nutritionist’s recommendation.