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Cranberry Orange Chicken thighs simmering in a skillet with fresh cranberries, orange slices, and herbs in a glossy caramelized sauce.

Cranberry Orange Chicken

Sweet-tart Cranberry Orange Chicken with crispy chicken thighs roasted in a glossy cranberry-orange glaze. A holiday-inspired dinner that comes together in under an hour.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rest Time 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 395kcal
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cranberry Orange Chicken, cranberry orange chicken crockpot, cranberry orange chicken thighs, cranberry orange roasted chicken, how to make cranberry orange chicken, orange cranberry chicken
Cost: $12

🍳 Equipment

  • 1 Large oven-safe skillet (Cast iron preferred)
  • 1 Instant-read thermometer (For checking doneness)
  • 1 Tongs (To flip chicken)
  • 1 Wooden spoon (For stirring sauce)
  • 1 set Measuring cups/spoons

🛒 Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For the Cranberry Orange Sauce

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 zest of 1 orange
  • ½ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional

Optional Garnishes

  • fresh orange slices
  • extra cranberries
  • fresh thyme sprigs
  • orange zest

📋 Instructions

  • Pat chicken dry, season, and sear both sides until golden.
  • Add cranberries, orange juice, zest, honey, balsamic, thyme; simmer into sauce.
  • Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce, keep skin exposed.
  • Bake at 375°F for 25–30 minutes until 165°F and sauce thickens.
  • Let chicken rest 5 minutes and spoon extra sauce on top.

📝 Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

🥗 Nutrition

Serving: 220g | Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1.5mg