Marinate Chicken In This Fall Favorite For 10x The Flavor

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Every season has its signature flavors, but fall's might be the best. Pumpkin, apple, and spices are wonderfully warm and cozy, making whatever they're flavoring a little more comforting (and delicious). While fall flavors are most popular in sweet foods, they're great in savory dishes too, including meat. Chicken can be the perfect fall-flavored dinner when cooked with warming spices or marinated in one of the season's most classic drinks: apple cider. It's also a surefire way to boost its flavor.

Many apple cider marinades for chicken call for a mixture of apple cider and apple cider vinegar (some just use cider vinegar), along with oil, garlic, mustard, spices like cinnamon, and herbs such as rosemary and thyme. The mild acidity of apple cider helps break down the poultry's tissue, while its sugars create beautiful caramelization on the chicken's surface once it hits the heat. After making the marinade, go ahead and soak your chicken for about two hours to achieve the best flavor and texture. Then, it's time to cook.

To get the full breadth of the marinade's flavor, set some to the side and use it as a baste while grilling, pan-frying, or baking. The result should be sweet, well-seasoned chicken that reminds you of fall. For extra apple flavor, consider serving it with spiced baked apples or an apple cider pan sauce. 

Apple cider comes in two varieties: fresh and shelf-stable. Fresh apple cider is sold in the refrigerated section (and is often seasonal). Shelf-stable cider is kept on regular shelves much like sodas. Some of the best ciders you can find at the grocery store include Red Jacket apple cider, Country Acres premium apple cider, and Trader Joe's spiced cider (which is super spiced, ideal for a flavor-packed marinade). The key here is to marinate the chicken with a high-quality, natural cider. The freshest cider is usually at the local farm or farmer's market.

If you have leftover cider after marinating your chicken, there are plenty of ways to use it aside from drinking it. Cider works incredibly well with pork — apples and pork are a timeless pairing, after all — so you can try your hand at apple cider pork chops with a side of glazed vegetables or mashed sweet potatoes for an autumnal meal. You can also add apple cider to beef stew, make fall-inspired pulled pork, or prepare a glaze for a special occasion turkey or ham.

As you probably know, apple cider thrives in sweet dishes and desserts, from easy apple cider donuts to homemade applesauce, and even syrup to flavor pancakes and waffles. Or you can turn it into an adult beverage like an apple cider Old Fashioned by adding bourbon, or mix it with sparkling wine for mimosas. For a fully fall-flavored dinner, serve a cider drink with your cider-marinated chicken.