This cranberry chicken has juicy, herb-seasoned chicken thighs, tender potatoes, and sweet roasted carrots, all coated in a tangy cranberry-orange sauce. It’s a colorful, flavorful dinner that looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make in one skillet.
I Buy Extra Cranberries Every Year Just to Make This Chicken
I’m one of those people who buys extra bags of cranberries when they’re in season and stashes them in the freezer. That way, I can make recipes like this cranberry chicken long after fresh cranberries disappear from the grocery store.
I love oven chicken thighs because they always turn out juicy, flavorful, and unlike breasts, they never dry out. Add a cranberry-orange balsamic sauce, and suddenly, a simple chicken dinner feels a little more special. The best part is that the potatoes and carrots cook with the chicken, so you don’t have to figure out what to serve with it.
How to Make Cranberry Chicken in One Skillet
What’s great about this recipe is that you use the same oven-safe skillet for everything. Use it first to sear the seasoned chicken, trap the juices, and build sauce flavor with the bits left in the bottom. Once the sauce is done, you add the potatoes, carrots, and chicken back in, and finish cooking the whole dish in the oven.
How to Make Sure It’s Done At The Same Time
The trick is cutting the potatoes small enough to cook in the same amount of time as the chicken. Halve any baby potatoes larger than 1 inch, or cut Yukon Gold or red potatoes into small quarters. If your carrots are especially thick, halve them lengthwise, too.
Chicken thighs are forgiving and stay juicy even when cooked a little longer, so don’t worry if the potatoes need a few extra minutes. You’re looking for chicken that’s reached 175F internally and potatoes that are fork-tender. Once both are ready, dinner is done!
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
Baked Cranberry Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs chicken thighs, 4-6 bone-in and skin-on pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ cups cranberries
- 1 pound baby potatoes, halved if bigger than 1 inch in size
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-4 inch pieces
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat your oven to 425F.
- Season both sides of the chicken with the salt, sage, rosemary, and pepper. Mixing the seasoning in a small dish, then distributing it over the chicken is quicker.
Sear & make the sauce:
- In a large oven-proof skillet, braiser, or cast-iron pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear both sides of the chicken for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. You’re just browning; the chicken will finish cooking in the oven. Remove the chicken pieces onto a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to a minute, until it’s fragrant (not burned). Slowly pour in the chicken broth and orange juice, stirring to lift any stuck bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for about 4 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly.
- Add the honey and balsamic vinegar and whisk to combine. Add the cranberries and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and carrots and stir. Nestle the chicken into the dish and baste with the sauce.
In the oven:
- Place the skillet in the oven, uncovered, and roast for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken’s internal temperature has reached 175F. The chicken is dark meat, which can cook longer if the potatoes aren’t tender yet.
- Remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries; no need to thaw them first.
- You can use Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut into quarters or smaller, about the size of a small baby potato.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
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Emily says
this cramberry chicken is so delicious!