Cranberry Chicken

My love for boneless skinless chicken breasts runs deep—I always keep them on hand in the freezer for quick and easy dinners. They’re so versatile—throw them in soup, marinate them, grill them, stuff them, or smother them in a delicious sauce, as in this cranberry chicken recipe.

While we know cranberries are an excellent pairing with herb roasted turkey, they’re just as delicious with turkey’s cousin, the humble chicken. (Are turkeys and chickens cousins? Maybe they’re distant cousins that only see each other occasionally at weddings where they make awkward conversation during cocktail hour.) You can use fresh cranberries when they’re in season, but since you can also buy frozen cranberries these days, this really is a year-round kind of recipe.

The whole dish comes together in a single pan so it’s easy, but the flavors make it feel like something a little more special than your standard weeknight chicken dinner. I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to serve this cranberry chicken to guests!

The Best Cranberry Chicken

No processed ingredients. Many cranberry chicken recipes use canned cranberry sauce, Catalina dressing, and onion soup mix. My version is made with more wholesome ingredients—no soup packets needed. It only takes a bit more effort and the end result tastes amazing. This really is one of my favorite recipes!

Easy to make. This recipe requires minimal prep work, just chopping the onion and garlic, and much of the cooking is hands-off in the oven. The seasonings come right from your pantry.

Perfect balance of flavors. The maple syrup pairs perfectly with the tart cranberries, creating a balanced sauce that complements the chicken beautifully. If you love sweet-and-savory dishes like pork tenderloin with apples and onions, you’ll enjoy cranberry chicken too!

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Often boneless skinless chicken breasts are gigantic; they usually can be cut in half to make two 6 oz. servings. A smaller piece of chicken cooks much more evenly.
• All-purpose flour: The chicken is dredged in seasoned flour so that you get a nice browned exterior and plenty of flavor.
• Seasonings: I use a blend of easy pantry ingredients: kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, dried thyme, and crushed rosemary.
• Olive oil: The chicken breasts are lightly browned in the skillet before baking. Use any oil you like to use for cooking.
• Onion and garlic: A yellow cooking onion is the best choice for this recipe because it has a finer texture. If you use another type of onion, mince it finely so there aren’t big chunks of onion in the sauce (unless you prefer that!). The onion and garlic add a nice savory contrast to the sweet and tart flavors in the dish.
• Fresh or frozen cranberries: Fresh or frozen berries are more tart than canned because there’s no added sugar (you’ll add your own sweeteners to the recipe). They soften during the cooking process and become almost jam-like.
• Chicken broth: Use a high-quality broth or homemade.
• Maple syrup: Choose real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Darker maple syrups have a more robust flavor, so they’re worth seeking out.
• Brown sugar: You can use either light or dark; dark brown sugar has a stronger molasses flavor.
• Dijon mustard: This adds sharp, tangy flavor and depth to the sauce.
• Optional garnish: Fresh parsley or rosemary.

How to Make Cranberry Chicken

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Whisk the flour and seasonings in a medium-sized bowl. Put the chicken pieces in the bowl and dredge them with the flour mixture until the entire surface of each piece is coated (or you can sprinkle it on). Don’t discard the leftover flour mixture. It serves double duty and will help to thicken the sauce.

Sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the chicken breasts and cook for 3 minutes per side to brown them. They won’t be cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the skillet while you make the sauce.

Cook the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook until it’s softened, then stir in the garlic and excess seasoned flour mixture. Cook for a minute more, until the garlic is fragrant and the flour is toasted to remove its raw flavor.

Make the cranberry sauce. Add the chicken broth, maple syrup, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard and deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the cranberries and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the berries burst and the sauce is slightly thickened. 

Bake. Nestle the chicken back into the sauce, then place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165ºF on an instant read thermometer.

Rest. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the juices to reincorporate, then spoon sauce over the top and serve with fresh herbs for garnish.

Tips and Variations

Stir the cranberries often. When left alone, cranberries will pop and spatter on your stovetop. Stirring often helps control that; you can also use a wooden spoon to crush the berries against the side of the pan to prevent the popping too.

Use a meat thermometer. This is important! Boneless, skinless chicken breast is easy to overcook and the best way to prevent this is to watch the temperature rather than the time. 

Try it with turkey breast. You can swap in 6-ounce portions of turkey breast for the chicken breasts in this recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Refrigerator: Store leftover cranberry chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Freezer: This dish can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Place it in a freezer bag with the sauce and press out the excess air, or store it in an airtight container. (I prefer freezer bags because they take up less space in the freezer and do a better job at preventing freezer burn.)

To reheat: Place the chicken and sauce in an oven-safe dish, cover it with foil, and warm in a 350ºF oven until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave, but it’s more likely that the chicken will end up rubbery this way.

• Preheat oven to 375°F.

• In a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Add chicken to the bowl one piece at a time, and coat both sides of the chicken with the flour mixture (alternatively, you can sprinkle the flour mixture on to your chicken). Reserve any extra seasoned flour that doesn’t adhere to the chicken. You’ll be using it to thicken the sauce.

  4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 oz. each, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon crushed rosemary

• In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. The chicken will not be fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a clean plate, and set aside.

  2 tablespoons olive oil

• In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, cooking until softened and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and remaining seasoned flour mixture from the chicken, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

  ½ cup diced yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Add chicken broth, maple syrup, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard to the skillet. Stir, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add cranberries and bring mixture to a simmer. Allow the sauce to cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until the cranberries soften and begin to burst, and the sauce thickens slightly.

  ½ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

• Add the chicken back to the pan, nestling it into the sauce.

• Carefully move the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F).

• Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for a couple of minutes before serving. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

• Chicken: Often boneless skinless chicken breasts are quite large and can be cut in half to make two 6 oz. portions which cook more evenly than very large pieces of chicken. You could also substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs, if you prefer.
• Cranberry turkey: This recipe could be made with uncooked turkey breast, cut into 6 oz. portions.
• Storage: Leftover cranberry chicken can be refrigerated for up to 4 days in a covered container. It freezes well, too, in a freezer bag, for up to 3 months. 

Serving: 1breast, Calories: 279kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 398mg, Potassium: 337mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 56IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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