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Cranberry Orange Chicken

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Juicy chicken baked in a sweet-tart cranberry orange glaze, this easy dinner is bursting with bright, festive flavors. Perfect for weeknights or holiday gatherings, it comes together in under an hour with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs (about 900g) chicken thighs or breasts, bone-in or boneless, skin-on preferred
  • 1 1/2 cups (150g) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2 large oranges (zest and about 1/3 cup freshly squeezed juice)
  • 1/4 cup (85g) honey (or maple syrup as substitute)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or rosemary, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Zest both oranges and juice them to yield about 1/3 cup fresh juice. Mince garlic, chop herbs, and measure remaining ingredients.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear chicken skin-side down for 3-4 minutes until golden, flip and cook another 2 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.
  4. In the same skillet, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add orange juice, chicken broth, honey, Dijon mustard, orange zest, thyme, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to loosen browned bits.
  5. Stir in cranberries and bring sauce to a gentle simmer.
  6. Nestle browned chicken pieces into the sauce, skin-side up. Spoon some sauce and cranberries over the top.
  7. Transfer skillet (or baking dish) to oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and sauce is thickened and bubbly.
  8. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon extra sauce and cranberries over chicken. Garnish with fresh thyme or orange slices if desired.

Notes

For best results, use fresh orange juice and zest. If using chicken breasts, check for doneness at 20-25 minutes to avoid drying out. For a thicker sauce, simmer on the stove after baking. Add more honey if cranberries are too tart. Broil for 2-3 minutes at the end for extra-crispy skin. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free; ensure broth and mustard are certified gluten-free if needed.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry orange chicken, holiday chicken recipe, easy chicken dinner, baked chicken, festive chicken, weeknight dinner, gluten-free chicken, citrus chicken, cranberry glaze, oven chicken

Find it online: https://realityeats.com/cranberry-orange-chicken-recipe-easy-flavorful-dinner-idea/