Step 1

Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to form four flat fillets.(Skip this step if using chicken tenderloins; instead, using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the tenderloins so that they are an even 1/2-inch thickness.)

Step 2

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat, shaking to remove excess; transfer to a plate and set aside.

Step 3

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples to the pan and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a second plate; set aside.

Step 4

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the remaining tablespoon oil in the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned but not quite cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Set the partially cooked chicken on another plate and set aside.

Step 5

Add the onion, thyme, a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened and browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 6

Add the cider and broth to the skillet, increase the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by approximately half, about 5 minutes.

Step 7

Add the cream and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 8

Stir in the vinegar and apples. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Spoon the sauce and apples over the chicken, sprinkle with the chives, and serve.

Step 9

I buy two large chicken breasts and slice them in half horizontally, which makes four nice portions that cook quickly in one batch. I don't recommend using the pre-sliced chicken breasts sold at the supermarket – they are typically very thin, which means you'd need more of them to get 1-1/2 pounds, and you'd have to cook the chicken in two batches. If you don't want to bother with slicing the chicken breasts yourself, chicken tenderloins are a great alternative.