Name: Orange Cranberry Bone-In Chicken Breasts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 T. coconut oil; 2 lbs. bone-in chicken breasts, with skin; 1½ t. fresh sage, chopped; 1½ t. fresh thyme leaves; Sea salt and black pepper, to taste; ½ c. fresh cranberries; 2 T. fresh orange juice; 2 T. honey, preferably local; ¼ t. ground cinnamon; ½ t. ground ginger; ¼ t. ground cloves; 1/8 t. ground nutmeg

Orange and cranberry are often paired together because they work so well. And chicken, well it works with almost anything because it doesn’t have a strong flavour of its own. With this Orange Cranberry Bone-In Chicken Breasts recipe, we are using chicken with the bone in as it has the best juicy flavour. It makes a great alternative for a holiday meal!

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Can I use frozen cranberries?

You can easily use frozen cranberries for this recipe but it is best to run them under room temperature water for around 10 seconds then let them to drain in a colander. This stops the sauce from becoming too watery. Avoid canned cranberry sauces as they usually don’t make the best sauce consistency.

What you can serve with this chicken?

There’s plenty of things you can serve with this chicken recipe but something without too strong a flavour of its own is best. Sometimes like a vegetable medley, potato or cauliflower mash or even a simple salad works well.

What you need to make Orange Cranberry Chicken

2 T. coconut oil
2 lbs. bone-in chicken breasts, with skin
1½ t. fresh sage, chopped
1½ t. fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
½ c. fresh cranberries
2 T. fresh orange juice
2 T. honey, preferably local
¼ t. ground cinnamon
½ t. ground ginger
¼ t. ground cloves
1/8 t. ground nutmeg

Kitchen equipment

Ovenproof skillet
Small saucepan
Serving platter

How to make the recipe

Place top oven rack in the centre position and pre-heat oven to 400°F.

Melt the coconut oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with sage, and thyme. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Place seasoned chicken in hot skillet skin-side down and cook until browned, approximately 4-5 minutes, or until it releases easily from the bottom of the pan. Turn the chicken and continue cooking another 4-5 minutes on the remaining side.

While the chicken is browning, add the cranberries, orange juice, honey, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook until the cranberries pop open and the sauce becomes slightly thickened around 4-5 minutes.

Pour the orange-cranberry sauce over the browned chicken and transfer the skillet into the preheated oven. Roast until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce is bubbly around 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.*

Remove from oven and transfer chicken to a serving platter. Cover loosely and let rest for 5 minutes before serving topped with the warm orange-cranberry pan sauce and your choice of sides

*Internal temperature will continue to rise to 165°F as it rests.

Storing the recipe

If you have any leftover chicken and sauce, pop them in an airtight container when they are completely cooled and store in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat thoroughly before you serve.

Recipe tips

You can use boneless chicken breasts for this recipe if you prefer. Just adjust the cooking times and use the temperature probe to check when it is done. It might not take as much cooking and avoid overcooking as the meat will go a bit dry.

If you want to make the recipe a little spicier, you can try adding a few chilli flakes. One or two teaspoons will be enough to add some extra spiciness.

Yield: 4 portions