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Cranberry Orange Chicken

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This easy cranberry orange chicken recipe features juicy chicken breasts simmered in a tangy, sweet, and savory cranberry-orange sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights or festive dinners and is sure to become a family favorite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 breasts), sliced in half horizontally
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to thaw if frozen)
  • Juice and zest of 1 large orange (about 1/3 cup juice and 1 tablespoon zest)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (use gluten-free tamari if needed)
  • 1–2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme), plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
  • 1 tablespoon cold water (if using cornstarch)

Instructions

  1. Pat chicken breasts dry and slice each in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
  2. Let chicken rest at room temperature for 10 minutes while prepping sauce ingredients.
  3. Zest and juice the orange. Mince garlic. Rinse cranberries if using fresh. Strip thyme leaves from stems.
  4. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken (in batches if needed) and sear 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
  5. Lower heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
  6. Add chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the skillet. Stir in orange juice, orange zest, honey or maple syrup, soy sauce or tamari, cranberries, and thyme.
  7. Bring sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cranberries start to burst and sauce thickens slightly.
  8. If a thicker sauce is desired, dissolve cornstarch in cold water and stir into the simmering sauce. Cook for 1 minute until thickened.
  9. Return chicken to the pan, nestling cutlets into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the top and simmer for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
  10. Garnish with extra orange zest and fresh thyme. Serve hot, spooning plenty of sauce over each piece.

Notes

For best flavor, use fresh orange juice and zest. If using dried cranberries, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and use less honey. Chicken thighs can be substituted for breasts. To make gluten-free, use tamari and check your broth. The sauce thickens as it cools; add a splash of broth if reheating. Leftovers keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry orange chicken, easy chicken dinner, 30 minute meal, holiday chicken, gluten-free chicken, skillet chicken, weeknight dinner, festive chicken recipe

Find it online: https://realityeats.com/cranberry-orange-chicken-recipe-easy-30-minute-dinner-everyone-loves/