Cranberry Chicken
This cranberry chicken is a delicious way to incorporate all the flavors of the holiday season in a healthy (and tasty) main course meal. If you’re looking for something to serve up at a holiday dinner party, this is it! It’s so simple to make and so incredibly delicious. The tartness of the cranberries, paired with sweet maple syrup and tangy Dijon mustard is an amazing balance of flavors your guests are sure to love.
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One of the best part of this high protein chicken recipe is that you do most of the prep work ahead of time. This makes it a perfect dish for hosting! Whip up the marinade the night before. Then pull the chicken out of the fridge while you prep your sides, and throw it in the oven about a half hour before you’re ready to serve. It’s so simple, and yet so impressive at the same time.
Cranberry Chicken Recipe Tips:
+ Fresh cranberries are the star of this recipe. To enjoy this cranberry chicken recipe all year long, buy a big bag of cranberries at the store during holiday season and freeze them. Thaw them about 24 hours before you’re ready to make this recipe. Or if you forget to , just blend them up frozen and leave the remaining 1/3 cup out to thaw for topping.
+ If you’re looking for some side dishes to serve up with this Cranberry Chicken, give our Melting Potatoes and Lemon Rosemary Roasted Asparagus a try! They both complement the flavors of the chicken perfectly and give you a well balanced meal to enjoy.
+ If you want to reduce the fat in this recipe to make it a more macro friendly chicken recipe, use breasts instead of thighs.
Cranberry Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, or breasts if preferred
- 1 1/3 cup fresh cranberries, divided
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup water
- fresh rosemary, to garnish
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender combine 1 cup of the cranberries with the maple syrup, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, Dijon, olive oil, and water. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the cranberry mixture over the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 45 minutes before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken thighs into the prepared baking dish. Pour the marinade over the top. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup cranberries.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken thighs are cooked through. Broil for 3-5 minutes if desired for color.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and enjoy!
