Description
A flavorful dish of tender chicken breasts bathed in a tangy-sweet cranberry balsamic sauce, perfect for cozy dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (or honey for a healthier option)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme or rosemary for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by prepping the chicken breasts. Pat them dry with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder on both sides.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully add the seasoned chicken breasts. Sear them for about 5-7 minutes on each side until they develop a nice golden crust.
- In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar. Over medium heat, stir occasionally until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens—this should take about 5-8 minutes.
- Once the chicken is browned and almost cooked through, pour the cranberry sauce over the chicken in the skillet. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let it simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Check the chicken’s internal temperature with a meat thermometer—it should read 165°F. If it’s not there yet, give it another few minutes in the skillet.
- Serve the chicken on a platter, drizzling it generously with the cranberry sauce and garnishing with fresh thyme or rosemary.
Notes
For a sweeter touch, swap brown sugar with pure maple syrup. You can use chicken thighs instead of breasts for extra juiciness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 70mg