Curry Spiced Roasted Chicken with Apple Miso Sauce

One bite of this incredibly flavorful curry spiced roasted chicken with apple miso sauce and there's no turning back! Every bite gives a little savory, sweet, and umami rolled into one for an amazing dinner.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Bone-in chicken thighs: Bone-in thighs are used for their rich flavor and moisture retention. The bones help keep the meat juicy during roasting, while the skin crisps up nicely, adding texture and flavor.
• Spices: The blend of spices creates a complex, aromatic flavor profile for the chicken. Each spice contributes its unique taste, with curry powder providing the base and others like cumin, coriander, and cardamom adding depth and warmth.
• Apple cider: Forms the base of the sauce, providing sweetness and a fruity flavor that complements the savory chicken. It also helps balance the saltiness of the miso.
• Brown sugar: Adds sweetness to the sauce and helps with caramelization.
• White miso: Miso adds umami (savory) flavor to the sauce, providing depth and complexity. It also contributes saltiness and a slight fermented taste.
• Apple cider vinegar: Adds acidity to the sauce, balancing the sweetness of the apple cider and brown sugar.
• Shallots: Provide a mild onion-like flavor to the sauce, adding depth and a subtle sweetness when cooked. You can also use half of a medium onion.
• Honey crisp apple: The apple adds texture, freshness, and natural sweetness to the sauce. Honeycrisp apples hold their shape well when cooked, making them ideal for this recipe. You can also use Granny Smith apple or any other tart apple.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: Try this recipe with chicken breasts or pork chops.
• Spicy: For a spicy kick, add cayenne to the seasoning mix for the chicken.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare chicken

Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.

Next, season the chicken thighs by combining olive oil, minced garlic, curry powder, salt, cumin, coriander, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, and ground cardamom in a bowl. Pour this spice mixture over the chicken thighs, ensuring they are well coated on all sides. At this point, you can let the chicken rest overnight or you can roast it immediately.

Place the seasoned chicken on the prepared baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. To ensure the chicken is done cooking, use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). The skin should be golden brown and crispy.

Step 2: Make apple miso sauce

While the chicken is roasting, prepare the apple miso sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together apple cider, brown sugar, white miso, and apple cider vinegar until well combined. You want to whisk the miso with the liquids to help break up the paste and allow it to blend in the sauce better.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter and add thinly sliced shallots. Sauté the shallots until they soften and become translucent, which should take about 5 minutes; avoid high heat to prevent burning.

Afterward, add the sliced Honeycrisp apple to the pan and continue to sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes until the apples are tender but still hold their shape. I didn't peel my apple but you can if you dislike the skin.

Keep the heat at medium level while sauteing the apples to allow them to soften without burning and stir occasionally for even cooking. 

Pour in the apple cider mixture and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Step 3: Put it all together

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Spoon the warm apple miso sauce over the chicken thighs and garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

I'm sure you already knew that this curry spiced roasted chicken with apple miso sauce was going to be glorious just from the smells alone! The rich deep aroma of curry spices with the sweet apples is already lovely but the flavor is even better, if you could imagine!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can season the chicken and let it marinate overnight. You can also prepare the apple miso sauce the day before.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Curry Spiced Roasted Chicken with Apple Miso Sauce

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Curry spiced roasted chicken

• 4 each chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on about 2 pounds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves finely minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Apple miso sauce

• ½ cup apple cider
• 5 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons white miso
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 shallots thinly sliced
• 1 large Honeycrisp apple sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• Season chicken. Combine olive oil with garlic, curry powder, salt, cumin, coriander, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom. Pour seasoning over chicken, coating chicken on all sides. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, make apple miso sauce. In a medium bowl whisk together apple cider, brown sugar, white miso, and apple cider vinegar until well combined.
• Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add apple slices and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour apple cider mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is slighlty thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Remove chicken from oven and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon apple miso sauce on top and garnish with chopped cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can marinate the chicken overnight.

The apple miso sauce can be prepared the day before.

Use any other tart apple such as Granny smith apples.