Cranberry Chicken

This cranberry chicken is chicken thighs roasted with fresh cranberries, orange juice and seasonings. A quick and easy dinner option that's great for a busy weeknight!

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 419kcal

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

6 bone in skin on chicken thighs 4-6 ounces each
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
2/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves minced
rosemary sprigs and orange slices for garnish optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat a cast iron skillet or oven safe pan on the stove over medium high heat.
Add the olive oil to the skillet or pan.
Place the chicken thighs in the skillet, skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes per side or until the chicken is golden brown.
In a bowl, mix together the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, maple syrup, minced garlic, and chopped rosemary.
Pour the cranberry mixture over the chicken thighs in the skillet, then transfer the skillet to the oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cranberries have burst.
Spoon the cranberry sauce over the chicken thighs, then serve. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and orange slices if desired.

Notes

I like to use bone-in skin on chicken thighs for this recipe because they have a lot of flavor and are less likely to dry out. You can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, but you’ll need to reduce the cooking time.
You can use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe with great results. If you're using frozen berries, thaw them first.
I highly recommend using fresh rosemary, as it has the best flavor. If you need to use dry rosemary, use 1/3 of the amount as you would for fresh.

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