This quick and simple Cranberry Chicken recipe is a unique and delicious way to prepare bone-in chicken thighs. Maybe you’re in the mood for a Thanksgiving-like meal without the hassle of roasting a turkey. Or maybe you already did Thanksgiving dinner, complete with fresh cranberry sauce, and you have an extra bag of cranberries sitting in your fridge looking for a purpose. It doesn’t matter why you’re here. But I’m glad that you are! You’re going to love making chicken with cranberries using this easy 35-minute chicken dinner recipe that is just bursting with fresh, tart, juicy flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make chicken thighs with cranberries:
Bone-In Chicken Thighs: I really love crisping up the skin on the thighs, and the bones keep the meat moist and flavorful. This recipe will work with boneless thighs too though. Fresh Cranberries: Look for these in the grocery store all throughout the fall and winter months. If you can’t find fresh cranberries, frozen ones will be fine too. Brown Sugar: On their own, cranberries are quite tart. A bit of brown sugar helps to balance the flavors of the sauce. Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and paprika perfectly season the chicken, while the sauce benefits from fresh rosemary and fresh garlic.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Cranberry Chicken
Get ready by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C). You’ll need a large oven-proof skillet handy too.
Recipe Tips
Adjust the Sauce: If the sauce seems too tart, add a bit more brown sugar until it’s to your liking. You can always add more or less salt and pepper as you’re cooking too. Instead of Brown Sugar, you can sweeten this recipe with honey or maple syrup. Other flavors: Play around with seasonings here if you like! A bit of ginger, allspice, or thyme would all be delicious with cranberries and chicken.
Storing Tips
Leftover cranberry chicken can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days. You’ll lose a bit of that crispy chicken skin, but it will still taste amazing! In fact, this sauce gets even better with time.
What To Serve With Cranberry Chicken
This meal goes well with a variety of different side dishes. Try some of these: Potatoes: To make this meal super filling and satisfying, serve it with potatoes! Sour cream mashed potatoes or roasted fingerling potatoes would be amazing. Vegetables: Roasted root vegetables or your favorite steamed veggies. A simple salad is also the perfect side. For dessert, try my easy Earthquake Cake, or delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.
Can I make this recipe with boneless chicken thighs?
You can, but the cooking time will be less. I suggest searing the boneless chicken in the skillet until it is fully cooked. Then cook the cranberry sauce on the stove until the cranberries are soft before adding the chicken back to warm through.
How Do I know when chicken thighs are done?
Use an instant read thermometer to ensure that the temperature of the chicken is 165°F (74°C). It’s difficult to overcook bone-in chicken thighs, so don’t stress if the temperature has gone past that.
Is there something I can use in place of cranberries?
I’ve seen similar recipes using fresh or frozen cherries and blueberries, but I have not tried it myself- yet!
Is cranberry chicken a holiday meal?
If you’re cooking for just a few this year, I think that this dish is exactly festive enough to be the main event at your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! Cranberries add an important flavor to holiday meals, and this dish has plenty of them. A bag of fresh cranberries makes this chicken dinner amazingly flavorful! Save this recipe (Pin it!)for the next time you see cranberries on sale or the next time you run out of new and exciting chicken dinner ideas. © Little Sunny Kitchen
