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This simple cranberry chicken skillet takes about 25 minutes and is absolutely irresistible thanks to a bit of balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. It’s cozy and easy to make yet elevated. A fall and winter dinner winner!
Cranberries are such a festive ingredient and in abundant supply for most Americans throughout the fall and winter months. It seems like a shame to relegate them exclusively to cranberry sauce for the holidays, as delicious as that is. You may not think of them as a weeknight dinner ingredient, but I’m here to tell you they ought to be!
This easy chicken dinner is a total snap to throw together, but something about the combination of brilliant red cranberries and rich green herbs makes it seem totally elegant and elevated. And of course it tastes every bit as good as it looks!
Watch It Come Together (Video)
Ingredient Notes
Keep Your Cranberry Stash
Buy a couple bags when you see cranberries on sale, because fresh ones can last up to four weeks in the fridge! Cranberry sauce, cranberry baked brie, and this dinner are all coming your way.
What’s more, you can stash fresh cranberries in the freezer for up to a year! Frozen cranberries work wonderfully in cranberry sauce, baked goods, and dinners like this. Either defrost them in the refrigerator overnight, or simply mix the frozen cranberries with the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and allow them to marinate on the counter for an extra 10-15 minutes before adding to the chicken.
How To Make Cranberry Chicken
This is seriously simple to make, which can be our little secret. Here are the basic steps:
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Dredge in flour if using.
- Quickly marinate the cranberries in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.
- Sear chicken on both sides. Use an oven-safe skillet if possible, so you can transfer it directly into the oven without using an extra pan.
- Add cranberries around the chicken.
- Bake for roughly 15 minutes at 375°F, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Searing the chicken briefly then transferring the whole pan to the oven is a fantastic method for making sure thicker pieces of chicken are cooked perfectly all the way through, and not too dry on the outside before the middle is done. I find that’s the secret to this recipe’s success!
What’s the best way to tell when chicken is done?
Chicken breasts should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. An instant-read thermometer is the number tool I recommend for all home cooks, because it removes all the guesswork, leaving you with less uncertainty and stress, and a better result every time!
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can rely on the old school method of cutting into a piece to see if it is white, not at all pink, all the way through.
Serving Suggestions
This cranberry chicken is so delicious and versatile; it goes with hearty holiday sides, roasted vegetables, and light salads alike! Here are some of our favorite pairings:
- Roasted Baby Carrots
- Roasted Garlicky Green Beans
- Dutch Oven Bread
- Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Balsamic Spinach Salad
More Easy Chicken Recipes
If you enjoy this, you’ll also love my peach mozzarella chicken, honey mustard chicken skillet, lemon rosemary or lemon thyme chicken, Tuscan chicken, lemon chicken pasta, and balsamic chicken with spinach, bacon, and mushrooms. You can never have too many options!
Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken lightly with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Place flour in a shallow bowl, and dredge each chicken breast through to coat lightly. Set aside.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt and black pepper, 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- Combine cranberries, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.1 and 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- In a cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, just until a golden crust develops. They should not be cooked all the way through. Remove pan from the heat.1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Pour the cranberry mixture over the chicken, including the sugar and juices at the bottom of the bowl.
- Transfer pan to the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and the cranberries are tender and wrinkled. Serve with additional sprigs of herbs, if desired.
Notes
- Chicken: For this recipe it’s best to use the thicker pieces typically sold simply as chicken breasts in the store. (I often recommend thin-sliced chicken for recipes that cook completely on the stovetop.) You can also use chicken thighs; brown them the same way, but plan on a longer baking time.
- Frozen Cranberries: Fresh cranberries last in the freezer for up to a year! To use them in this recipe, either defrost them in the refrigerator overnight, or simply mix the frozen cranberries with the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and allow them to marinate on the counter for an extra 10-15 minutes before adding to the chicken.
- No oven safe skillet? Brown the chicken in any skillet you have, then transfer the pieces to a baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray, add the cranberries, and bake as directed.
- Storage: Tuck individual portions or a larger amount in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, then reheat on 50% power in the microwave until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was originally published on February 25, 2019, and has been updated with new photos and more helpful tips, and a recipe that focuses on the cranberry chicken without an included side dish.
So delicious and easy to make!
Easy, delicious. Will definitely make again!
This was amazing! I substituted thighs for the breasts. Served it over mashed potatoes. This it the first time that I have seasoned the meat before dredging it in flour (most recipes call for adding seasonings to flour then dredging). It was amazing how the flavors seemed to be actually “layered”. Next time, I will double the ingredients for the sauce so that there is extra “gravy” for the mashed potatoes or just to savor over the chicken.
I absolutely agree- when I used to add seasonings to the flour, I’d cringe at how much seasoning got thrown away, no matter if I tried to be really careful with measuring, haha. This way ALL the good stuff goes where we want it. 🙂 I am so glad this was a winner for you and am sure it will be even better with the extra sauce for mashed potatoes- YUM!
The cranberry mixture was delicious on the chicken. It burned a little in the pan while in the oven, I guess due to the sugar content. Any way to prevent this?
I’m glad it still tasted delicious! I have not had that problem so I’m wondering- is it possible your oven runs a little hot? That could explain it, or perhaps a pan that would benefit from a little more seasoning. If you make it again you could try reducing the oven temperature to 350°F and pounding the chicken breasts a bit thinner so that they don’t take quite as long to bake through.
It was delicious. A great way to use up holiday leftover ingredients. 😊
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you very much for taking the time to leave this review.
Mmm this flavour combination sounds great! Pinning for later!
So colourful and it’s an all-in-one meal in one pan, which makes it even better.
This has my mouth watering, it looks ever so delicious! I can definitely see this being a popular dish in my house.
Looks so delicious and perfect for a healthy balanced dinner!
I love cranberries and especially in savory dishes. What a great dish with the green beans and all the great flavors.