Baked Cranberry Chicken with Rosemary
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
1452 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean
Baked Cranberry Chicken with Rosemary
Description
This recipe combines fresh cranberries and brown sugar with white wine vinegar to create a sugared cranberry marinade that softens while the chicken is seasoned with garlic, rosemary, paprika, salt, and pepper. The chicken is marinated briefly with celery, onions, lemon juice, and olive oil, allowing the citrus and herbal flavors to infuse before baking.
The chicken is first seared to develop a crisp, golden skin, then baked in the flavorful mixture, producing tender meat with a fragrant crust. The cranberries soften and meld with the brown sugar to form a lightly sweet and tangy sauce, complemented by the fresh rosemary aroma and garlic depth.
Serving this chicken highlights contrasts between juicy meat and the bright sauce, well-suited with roast vegetables or grains. Adjustments can be made using boneless thighs and frozen cranberries if needed, with cooking times adapted accordingly for the size of the chicken pieces.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries fresh
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar divided
- 6 chicken pieces I used 2 chicken breasts and 4 thighs, about 2 1/4 pounds in total, bone-in, skin on
- 6-8 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary), plus rosemary sprigs for garnish, chopped, fresh
- 1 teaspoon paprika sweet
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for searing the chicken
- 3 celery chopped, stalks
- 1 onion chopped, large, yellow
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
Instructions
- Make the sugared cranberries. In a small bowl, combine the cranberries, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar. Set aside to soften while you prepare the chicken.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken pieces dry, then rub on both sides with the garlic, rosemary, paprika, and a good pinch or two of salt and pepper. Make sure to lift the skin and push the seasoning underneath the skin.
- Marinate the chicken. To a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken, add the olive oil, celery, onions, and remaining 2 tablespoons of the white wine vinegar. Slice the lemon in half and squeeze in the juice, then add both of the juiced lemon halves. Add the chicken and use your hands to work everything together. Set aside to marinate just for 15 minutes or so.
- Get ready to cook. While your chicken marinates, preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Sear the chicken. When your oven is hot and the chicken has marinated for at least 15 minutes, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until the skin releases from the pan and turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side, about 3 minutes more. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, adding the seared chicken to the baking dish as you go.
- Bake. Top the chicken with the sugared cranberries and any accumulated juices, then pour in the broth or water. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Serve. Garnish with a few rosemary sprigs, if you’d like, to dress it up a little before serving. Serve hot, spooning the juices and vegetables over top.
Notes
- Chicken thighs are recommended for best flavor and texture; brown them briefly before baking.
- If using boneless, skinless thighs, reduce baking time to about 25 minutes.
- Fresh cranberries are preferred, but frozen ones can be used as a substitute.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1452 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 145.2kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 9g | 3% |
| Protein | 1.4g | 3% |
| Fat | 12.4g | 19% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.8g | 9% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.4g | 8% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8.9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 0.7mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 10.9mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 128.6mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2.6g | 10% |
| Sugar | 2.7g | 5% |
| Vitamin A | 212.4IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 16.4mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 21.2mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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