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. 

crispy maple roasted chicken with sweet potatoes and apples.

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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 butterapple piesourdough apple pieFrench 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:ย 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.

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Tools:

Cast iron skillet or a oven safe large skillet

Cutting board

Knife

Large bowl

crispy chicken thighs with sweet potatoes, onions, and apples in a cast iron skillet and topped with thyme.

How To Make Maple Roasted Chicken With Sweet Potatoes

raw chicken in a cast iron skillet.

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 itโ€™s browned enough and then it โ€œreleasesโ€ itself. So if it is still sticking, it may not be ready to flip yet.

apples, sweet potatoes, and an onion chopped on a wood cutting board.

Step 2: While the chicken is browning, chop sweet potatoes, quarter onions, and dice the apples.

maple syrup and spices in a small bowl.

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.

adding sweet potatoes, onions, and apples to the chicken in a skillet.

Step 4: Flip chicken thighs skin side up and arrange sweet potatoes, apples, and onions around the chicken in the cast iron skillet.

maple roasted chicken with sweet potatoes, onions, and apples in a 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 canโ€™t find thighs.
  • Add fresh herbs for a burst of flavor. Thyme and sage are my favorite, and rosemary would also be delicious.
  • Donโ€™t skip the browning of the chicken skin. It adds so much flavor, and makes the skin super crispy.
  • If you donโ€™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:

Can we eat chicken and sweet potatoes together?

Absolutely. Chicken and sweet potatoes are so delicious paired together.ย 

What meat is best with sweet potatoes?

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.ย 

Can I use chicken breast?

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.ย 

Find More Delicious Chicken Dinner Ideas:

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

4.53 from 129 votes
Maple roasted chicken with sweet potatoes and apples is a healthy, cozy, family dinner for fall.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6
crispy maple roasted chicken with sweet potatoes and apples.
Save this recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
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Ingredients 

  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1 medium apple
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ยผ 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 itโ€™s browned enough and then it โ€œreleasesโ€ 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 canโ€™t find thighs.
  • Add fresh herbs for a burst of flavor. Thyme and sage are my favorite, and rosemary would also be delicious.
  • Donโ€™t skip the browning of the chicken skin. It adds so much flavor, and the skin is super crispy.
  • If you donโ€™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

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 602mg | Potassium: 535mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 10835IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.53 from 129 votes (125 ratings without comment)

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31 Comments

  1. Verna says:

    This looks delicious and I am going to try it but I have one question, I have heard that heating olive oil is not good, is this not true.