You don’t have to wait until fall to enjoy the sweet taste of apples and cinnamon. This Paleo Apple Cinnamon Chicken brings the taste of fall to your lips any time of year. Apples and cinnamon are one of my favorite duos, and the best part is this Paleo Apple Cinnamon Chicken is Paleo and Whole 30 compliant. I promise you will absolutely love this decadent main course.
How to Make Paleo Apple Cinnamon Chicken
This Paleo Apple Cinnamon Chicken contains just three components: chicken, apples, and bacon. I used honey crisp apples, but you can use any apple you prefer. I would advise against granny smith apples.
First, cook the bacon in a pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and leave the grease in the pan to cook the chicken. While the bacon and chicken are cooking, core and peal two apples and chop them into cubes. If you have an apple corer it will save a lot of time. Once the chicken has cooked on one side, flip it over and add the apples and half of the spices (cinnamon, cardamom, and ground ginger). Leave the herbs (sage and rosemary) out of the pan for now.
Add the remaining spices and herbs with about a minute left to cook.
What Makes This Paleo Friendly?
All of the ingredients are foods our hunter-gather ancestors ate. I used organic chicken, and I recommend you do, too. Buying organic food can be expensive, so at the very least, buy organic meat.
This meal is packed with protein. The one pound of chicken used in this Paleo Apple Cinnamon Chicken contains 49 grams of protein, while the two strips of bacon adds six more grams.
The spices and herbs offer additional health benefits. Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants and may help lower inflammation. Cardamom touts anti-inflammatory properties and is great for gut health. Ginger boosts serotonin and dopamine levels and also has anti-inflammatory properties.
This Paleo Apple Cinnamon Chicken can be made to be Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) friendly by removing the black pepper. It can also be low FODMAP compliant by removing the apples.
When Can I Eat Paleo Apple Cinnamon Chicken
This is great for a quick lunch or the main course with dinner. If you think cinnamon and chicken sound weird together, stop and open your mind. I thought it was weird, too, but was pleasantly surprised by the taste.
Serve with butternut squash, sweet potatoes, or a vegetable of your choice, and thank me later.
Paleo Apple & Cinnamon Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 2 slices of bacon
- 1-2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger (or use fresh minced
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamon
- 1 spring rosemary, chopped
- A few sage leaves, chopped
- Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Chopped dried dates (optional)
Directions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet and add the bacon. Cook until crispy on both sides, about 5-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bacon.
- Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. When the bacon is done, remove it from the pan and set aside to cool. Leave a thin layer of bacon fat on the bottom of the pan (if you have excess, drain it in a separate container).
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on the first side, until golden brown. After turning the chicken once (so the first cooked side is facing up), add the apples, half your spices, sea salt and pepper. (Save the herbs for the last few minutes of cooking).
- Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes on this side, then flip and add the rest of the spices and herbs (and dried fruit, if using).
- When the chicken has about a minute left, chop your bacon into bits and scatter it over the chicken.
Note: For AIP Diet, remove black pepper. For low FODMAP, leave out the apples.
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