AIP Friendly Skillet Chicken with Apples and Onions
Savory meets subtly sweet in this one-pan dinner that feels far more indulgent than its clean ingredient list suggests. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs get rubbed with turmeric and ginger before searing in coconut oil until the skin turns deep golden and impossibly crisp — that alone is worth making this dish. The real magic happens when soft caramelized onions, tender apple wedges, and sliced garlic come together in a pan sauce built from bone broth, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and a touch of honey, with Ceylon cinnamon tying everything together in the most warming way. Following the autoimmune protocol means avoiding nightshades, grains, eggs, and seed-based spices, and every single ingredient here clears those hurdles without any substitutions or workarounds. The whole skillet finishes in a 400°F oven, so the chicken stays juicy inside while the sauce reduces into something glossy and rich. It serves four, making it a solid choice for a weeknight family dinner or a batch-cook Sunday meal you'll actually look forward to eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb total)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 medium honeycrisp or fuji apples, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 1 cup bone broth
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
Ingredient noteAIP restricts added sweeteners, but small occasional amounts of unrefined honey are accepted on the protocol; the ~3/4 teaspoon per serving here likely stays within that limited allowance. If you prefer to always avoid honey, please tap it and change its rating to Red.
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 tsp of the salt, the turmeric, and the ginger, then rub the mixture evenly over both sides of each thigh.
- 2
Heat the coconut oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 6–7 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and releases easily from the pan. Flip and sear the second side for 3 minutes, then transfer the thighs to a plate.
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