Cranberry Orange Chicken
Juicy chicken thighs are simmered in a warm cranberry orange sauce flavored with maple syrup and fresh herbs. This easy dinner is reminiscent of the holidays and the start of cooler nights.
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 284kcal
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil divided
- 6 Skinless boneless chicken thighs about 680–900 g / 1.5–2 lbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 3 teaspoons)
- 1 orange juiced about 2 Tablespoons
- Zest from 1 orange
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 cups fresh cranberries 12 oz bag, thawed if frozen
Instructions
Prep the Chicken
- In a small bowl mix together the salt, pepper, dried rosemary and paprika. Press the seasoning blend on both sides of the chicken.
- In a large skillet warm 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add seasoned chicken to the warm skillet.
- Cook on one side for about 5 to 8 minutes and then flip the chicken and cook the other side. Continue flipping as needed until the chicken is fully cooked (about 10 to 15 minutes) and the internal temperature is 165° in the thickest part of the chicken thigh. If the bottom of the pan starts to scorch, add 1 - 2 tablespoons of water.
- Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Make the Cranberry Orange Sauce
- In the same skillet, without cleaning it, add in 1 Tablespoon of oil and the garlic while scraping the bottom of the pan to get brown bits.
- Sauté for a minute and then add in the juice from 1 orange, orange zest, chicken stock, cranberries, and maple syrup.
- Bring sauce to a boil (about 3 minutes) and then lower the heat to medium-low while it simmers.
- Continue to simmer until cranberries begin to pop and burst, this should take about 5 to 8 minutes. Push the cranberries down with the back of a spoon or spatula to cook them and help soften.
- Cranberries thicken naturally due to pectin and the sauce will begin to thicken as well. When it cools it will continue to thicken. The sauce should thicken enough to cover the back of a spoon. Add chicken back in the pan, spooning sauce over the chicken.
- Garnish with fresh orange slices and rosemary before serving.
Notes
- You can use ¼ cup of orange juice instead of fresh-squeezed. It won’t taste quite as bright, and you’ll miss the zest, but it still works well in a pinch.
- Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools due to the natural pectin in cranberries.
- After adding cranberries you may want to use a splatter screen to avoid the mixture splattering out.
Nutrition
Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 624mg | Potassium: 453mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg
