Apple Thyme Chicken

I'm never sure about the combination of sweet and savory, fruits and meat, but it seems to be very popular. I needed something different to do with chicken breasts the other night, and since I had an apple leftover from another recipe, I thought I'd give it a shot! My family really liked the combination, so I figured it was worth sharing. And now that it finally feels like fall outside, this would be a great new autumn recipe to try.

Marinade:
In a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, combine:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 garlic clove, smashed, peeled
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Dredge:
In a shallow dish, combine:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon onion soup mix
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Remove chicken from marinade and dredge in the flour mixture.

Saute:
Saute chicken in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, while covered.  Remove cover, flip chicken and saute for 5 more minutes. Remove chicken to a dish, cover with foil and keep warm.

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
dash of cinnamon

In your skillet, melt the butter, then add in the broth, whisking to pick up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add in the apple slices and cinnamon. Simmer for a few minutes until the apples begin to soften. Add in the chicken, turning to coat in the sauce, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through completely and apples are tender.