Cranberry Balsamic Chicken
Cranberry balsamic chicken is an easy 30-minute dinner that brings big flavor with simple ingredients. The sauce that cooks down and coats the chicken is seriously scrumptious!
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, cut into thin slices
- 4 (6-7 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup cranberry sauce
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup red wine (or substitute low-sodium chicken broth)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Season chicken on both sides with rosemary, salt and pepper. Turn heat up to medium-high, move the onions to the side and add the chicken to the skillet. Sear over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned.
- Add the cranberry sauce, balsamic vinegar and red wine (or chicken broth) to the pan and bring to a simmer. Scrape the pan to loosen any browned bits. Turn to coat the chicken breasts in the sauce.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook at 400 for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through. (I recommend using a meat thermometer.) Alternatively, you can continue cooking the chicken stovetop. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to medium low and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Add the butter to the skillet, if using, and stir into the sauce until melted.
- Serve the chicken with onions and extra sauce drizzled on top.
Notes
Oven or stove-top: I finish the chicken breasts in the oven, but you can also finish them stove-top if that’s easier. I’ve got notes in the recipe card below for both ways.
Red wine or broth: I’ve used both red wine (when we had some open) and chicken broth and it’s great both ways. Use what ya got.
Cranberry sauce: I use my 15-minute easy cranberry sauce, which helps make this extra delicious. You can substitute your own version of homemade cranberry sauce and I guess you can try it with the canned stuff, if that’s what you like.
Rosemary: I don’t recommend substituting dried rosemary for the fresh rosemary here. If you don’t have any fresh rosemary, you could try some fresh or dried thyme to get a bit of herby flavor.
Butter: If you want to add a little decadence, stir in a tablespoon of butter when you finish the sauce. It’s in the recipe card and listed as optional.
Leftovers: Leftover chicken, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. I recommend you slice the chicken breasts before you go to reheat it. This will help it reheat more quickly and evenly so the chicken gets warmed through without drying out. You can reheat the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet over medium low, or use the microwave.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 293mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g
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