Roasted Cranberry Chicken and Vegetables brings crisp-skinned chicken thighs, tender vegetables, and a sweet-tart cranberry sauce together in one skillet. It has the cozy feel of a roasted chicken dinner, but the cranberry sauce gives it a brighter, slightly tangy twist.
Why You Need To Make These
- It’s a full dinner: With chicken thighs, potatoes, and carrots included, there’s no need to plan separate side dishes.
- The chicken keeps its texture: Browning the skin before roasting adds color and crispness, while bone-in chicken thighs hold up well to the longer oven cooking time needed for the potatoes and carrots.
- Seasonal fall flavors: Fresh cranberries, orange, maple syrup, and herbs give the dish a flavor profile that fits naturally into cooler-weather dinners without leaning too sweet.
I’m a big fan of cranberries. Cranberry sauce is my favorite dish at Thanksgiving, and I always cook a big pot even though I’m usually the only one eating it. This roasted cranberry chicken gives me some of that Thanksgiving feeling without committing to a full batch of cranberry sauce.
I used bone-in chicken thighs here, just like in my Roasted Moroccan Chicken with Turmeric Seasoning, because they stay juicy as they roast. When testing the cranberry sauce, I tried maple syrup, honey, and brown sugar. All three worked, but maple syrup was my favorite because it fits especially well with the fall flavors in the dish.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken thighs – Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts can be used instead. Boneless chicken isn’t recommended because it will cook faster than the potatoes and carrots.
- Avocado oil – Any neutral oil can be used instead.
- Salt and pepper – no substitutions.
- Dried thyme – Dried rosemary can be used instead for a different herb flavor.
- Dried sage – Poultry seasoning can be used instead. If the blend contains salt, reduce the added kosher salt accordingly.
- Unsalted butter – Salted butter can be used; reduce the added salt if needed.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic is best, but 1 1/2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic can be used in place of 3 cloves.
- Chicken broth – Vegetable broth can be used instead.
- Orange juice – no substitutions.
- Balsamic vinegar – You can use red wine vinegar, though the flavor will be sharper and less sweet.
- Maple syrup – Honey or brown sugar can be used instead.
- Orange zest – This can be omitted if you don’t have any.
- Fresh cranberries – Fresh or frozen cranberries work. Pick through them first and discard any that look shriveled, soft, or otherwise past their prime.
- Baby gold potatoes – Baby red potatoes can be used instead. Avoid russet potatoes because they can break down too much with the stirring in this recipe.
- Carrots – Parsnips can be used instead for a slightly sweeter, earthier flavor.
Mandy’s Top Tip
For crispier chicken skin, start with a good sear skin-side down and resist the urge to move it around. Let the thighs cook undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes before flipping so the skin has enough time to brown.
Tips for Success
Keep the vegetables around 1 inch – Cut the carrots into about 1-inch pieces and keep the potatoes around the same size. Larger pieces may not become tender by the time the chicken is finished cooking.
Keep the chicken skin above the sauce – Once the chicken goes back into the skillet, keep the skin mostly exposed instead of burying it under the cranberries and liquid. That gives it a better chance to stay crisp as it roasts.
Let the sauce reduce before adding the vegetables – After adding the cranberries, let the sauce simmer and reduce in the skillet before stirring in the potatoes and carrots. This helps it thicken and concentrate before everything goes into the oven.
Use a large oven-safe skillet – I used a 12-inch skillet, which gave the chicken and vegetables enough room to cook without overcrowding the pan.
How to Make Cranberry Chicken and Vegetables
Season and sear the chicken thighs first, then build the cranberry sauce in the same skillet and let it reduce before adding the potatoes and carrots. Return the chicken to the pan and roast everything together, uncovering near the end so the sauce can reduce a little more and the chicken skin can crisp back up.
Sear the chicken.
Add the liquids.
Add the vegetables.
Sauté the garlic.
Add the cranberries
Roast.
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More One Pan Fall Dinners
Keep the fall dinner ideas going with a few more recipes built around cozy, savory flavors.
Did you make this one pan cranberry chicken? Let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment and ⭐ rating below!
Roasted Cranberry Chicken and Vegetables Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 1/2 pounds baby gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 medium carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Season the chicken thighs with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes, until the skin is well browned. Flip the chicken and cook for 2 minutes, then transfer it to a plate.
- Add the butter and garlic to the same skillet and cook briefly until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, orange zest, cranberries, thyme, and sage. Stir to combine and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce begins to reduce and thicken and some of the cranberries start to burst.
- Add the potatoes and carrots to the skillet and gently arrange them in a mostly single layer.
- Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, keeping the skin above the sauce.
- Cover the skillet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the cover and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the vegetables are tender. The uncovered cooking time also lets the sauce reduce slightly and the chicken skin crisp back up.
- Spoon the cranberry sauce and cranberries over the chicken and vegetables before serving.
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store leftover chicken, vegetables, and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze the chicken and sauce, but the potatoes may soften and become a bit mealy after thawing. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 to 3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers in a covered skillet or baking dish until heated through. If the sauce has thickened too much in the refrigerator, add a small splash of chicken broth before reheating.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts can be used in place of the thighs. Avoid boneless chicken for this recipe because it will cook faster than the potatoes and carrots.
- Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used. Pick through them first and discard any that look soft, shriveled, or otherwise past their prime.
Nutriton
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.