Cranberry Orange Chicken Thighs
The vibrant flavors of citrus and cranberry in these Cranberry Orange Chicken Thighs pair beautifully with tender, juicy chicken, creating a meal that feels special yet is simple to prepare.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 321kcal
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in skin-on
- 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 orange halved (juiced and zested)
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to season
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a cast-iron or oven-safe skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken, skin-side-down, and sear until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the cranberries and rosemary sprig and saute for 2 minutes.
- Zest half the orange then cut it in half and juice that half, reserving the unzested half for later.
- Pour in the cranberry and orange juices and deglaze the pan to pull up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the orange zest, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir it all up. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat
- Remove about 1/4 of the cranberry sauce from the pan. Add the chicken back in, skin side up.
- Spoon some of the cranberry sauce from the skillet over the top of the chicken.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then baste the chicken with the reserved sauce and continue baking for another 5-8 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175° F (85°C). Remove from the heat.
- Grab the remaining orange half and cut it into slices. Place those around the pan to garnish the finished dish. Then serve.
Video
Notes
- Using bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe will ensure that the chicken has great flavor and stays nice and moist through the cooking process.
- A quick sear on the stovetop adds a golden crust that locks in moisture and enhances the flavor.
- If available, fresh cranberries provide a burst of tartness and a beautiful texture; if not, frozen ones work well too!
Nutrition
Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 449IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg