Baked Cranberry Chicken [30 Minute, One Pan Recipe]

Baked Cranberry Chicken Recipe

For my cranberry post, I elected to create a recipe– a simple recipe.

This is the time of the year when I sometimes struggle to get a home-cooked meal on the table amidst all the holiday busyness.

Anyone else? 🙋🏼‍♀️

This Baked Cranberry Chicken meets all my criteria for a recipe to add to my repertoire this time of year:

• Quick and easy ✔ (30 minutes from start to table)
• Not a lot of cleanup ✔ (One pan!)
• Minimal ingredients ✔ (Fresh cranberries, chicken, and a few pantry staples)
• Hearty, comfort food ✔ (Warm and filling for the cold weather season)
• Nutritional ✔ (Cranberries are considered a superfood due to their high nutrient & antioxidant content!)

Winner, winner chicken dinner!

Fresh Cranberry Season

Fresh cranberries can be found in grocery stores from about October through January.

I usually buy a few bags and freeze them, so I have some on hand outside of their availability. They can be used in this cranberry chicken recipe, but also in smoothies, muffins, cocktails, and so many other things.

Fresh cranberries, fresh rosemary, and white wine form the basis of the sauce for this easy recipe.

Add some boneless skinless chicken breasts and a few pantry staples, and you will have dinner on the table in a matter of minutes. One that the whole family will love!

–>Tip: The white wine can be substituted with chicken broth to make this recipe family-friendly.

How to Make Baked Cranberry Chicken

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the chicken

Next, heat the olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. I love having a reason to use this cast iron skillet that was my mother’s, but any oven-proof pan will do.

Place chicken in a single layer in the pan, and season well with salt, pepper, and the chopped fresh rosemary.

I prefer skinless, boneless chicken breasts in this recipe because I almost always have some in my freezer, but skinless chicken thighs would also be a great option.

Sauté for two or three minutes on each side, until the chicken is golden brown.

Add the wine (or chicken broth)

Pour 1 cup of good white wine into the pan with the chicken.

You won’t need the whole bottle, so go ahead and pour yourself a glass too, especially if you’ve had a long, busy day. You deserve it. 😉

Add the cranberries and the rosemary sprigs

Add the fresh cranberries to the pan, and tuck the 3 fresh rosemary sprigs in alongside the chicken pieces.

Then, transfer the whole pan to the preheated oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 175 degrees.

(My package of chicken contained three chicken breast halves. I was only serving 2 people for this meal, so that was fine. Please note that this recipe does serve four, though.)

Prepare the sauce

When the chicken is fully cooked, remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chicken pieces to a plate covered with aluminum foil to keep them warm while you prepare the super simple sauce.

Make sure there is at least a half cup or so of liquid left in the pan. If not, add a little more wine or broth to make sure you have plenty of sauce.

Then, add 1/3 cup honey to the hot liquid and whisk until it melts and incorporates fully.

I like using honey because it’s the perfect way to sweeten the tart cranberries, but real maple syrup would be a great flavor in this dish too! In a pinch, a 1/4 cup or so of brown sugar could work too.

Serve

Return the chicken pieces back to the pan, and nestle them down into the cranberry mixture. Spoon some sauce over each piece.

For an extra beautiful presentation, add a few more sprigs of rosemary. The vibrant green sprigs with the red cranberries give this dish such a pretty, seasonal appearance.

–>Tip: If you have a picky eater in your family, just serve them one of the chicken pieces without the sauce. It will still be flavorful and juicy from cooking in the cranberry sauce. No dry chicken here!

What to Serve with Cranberry Chicken

• Stuffing– a box of Stovetop Stuffing tastes great and is ready in a short amount of time!
• Rice– Cranberry Chicken over a bed of rice is delish and makes a pretty presentation
• Potatoes– mashed or roasted
• Green beans
• A fresh green salad

This Baked Cranberry Chicken recipe is bound to become a new family favorite.

Tuck this recipe away someplace where you can easily find it–print it off, or save it on Pinterest. Then, the next time you need an easy dinner recipe that requires only a few minutes of prep, you’ll be all set!

Next, I hope you’ll pop over to Bluesky at Home to see Carol’s cranberry appetizer!

Let’s stay in touch!

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