These Cranberry Orange Chicken Thighs will impress any dinner guest and will be a hit with your family! Homemade cranberry sauce and the juice from fresh oranges are the perfect complements to chicken thighs.
Fall recipes are all about warmth and coziness and this cranberry chicken recipe is just that. Tangy cranberries and sweet orange juice combine with rosemary for amazing flavor in every bite.
This easy gluten-free dinner is made with ingredients like cranberries, honey, cinnamon and balsamic vinegar on top of a bed of white rice and chicken thighs to create a delicious meal everyone will love.
If you love easy chicken dinners, you'll want to try my Orzo Chicken Soup, Dutch Oven Whole Chicken and Potatoes, and Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- An easy Thanksgiving dinner idea. If you are cooking Thanksgiving for a smaller crowd or simply aren't in the mood for turkey this year, cranberry chicken would be the perfect main dish. Serve with Holiday Cranberry Bourbon Cocktails and Easy Cranberry Baked Brie as an appetizer for a festive touch.
- Great dinner idea for leftover cranberry sauce or rice. Maybe you have leftover cranberry sauce in the fridge from Thanksgiving dinner and are looking for creative ways to use it up. Or you have 2 cups of cooked rice you'd like to repurpose - this cranberry chicken recipe is for you!
- Made with real ingredients! Preparing this cranberry chicken with a homemade cranberry sauce takes a little bit of extra effort, but it's worth it! Nothing beats fresh ingredients.
- Pairs well with almost any vegetable. Complete the meal and serve this cranberry chicken with Air Fryer Butternut Squash, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes, or Sheet Pan Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- chicken thighs - I highly recommend making this dish with bone-in skin-on chicken thighs over chicken breasts because they are so much more flavorful! Using boneless skinless chicken breasts would also likely alter the cook time because they will cook through more quickly. I have not tested this so I cannot advise.
- cranberries - Fresh or frozen cranberries will work when making the homemade cranberry sauce. Just double-check that the cranberries are not sweetened or prepared with additional ingredients. The only ingredient should be whole cranberries.
- rice - I like to bake cranberry chicken over white rice because it is neutral in flavor and quick to prepare. If you prefer, you can use brown rice or another rice of your choice.
- orange - Orange juice and orange zest are used in the homemade cranberry sauce to naturally sweeten it and balance the tartness. The orange zest also gives the sauce a huge boost of flavor and complements the savoriness of the chicken thighs perfectly.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
This cranberry chicken dish is baked with cooked rice. Please make sure to cook your rice according to the package instructions before starting the cranberry sauce. This prep time is not included in the total time of the recipe.
- Season the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl and season with salt, pepper and minced garlic. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature while you prepare the remainder of the dish.
- Prepare the cranberry sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, honey, cinnamon, balsamic vinegar and rosemary.
- Smash the cranberries. Stir occasionally, until the cranberries begin to burst and the cranberry sauce thickens about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and smash the cranberries with a potato masher or fork.
- Make the casserole. Spread the rice in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Place the chicken thighs on top, then spread the cranberry sauce over the chicken thighs until covered.
- Bake. Bake the cranberry chicken for 25-30 minutes uncovered, or until the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, cranberry sauce is freezer friendly. If you would like to freeze this cranberry sauce for use in other recipes, allow it to cool to room temperature then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 3 months to retain optimal freshness. Thaw completely in the fridge before reheating.
I do not recommend it. Store-bought cranberry sauce is typically much thicker and not as fresh tasting. It will also taste differently and I can't confirm it will pair well with this chicken dish.
Not necessary! This cranberry chicken can be baked uncovered.
Chicken thighs are the least likely cut of chicken to dry out, but smothering the chicken with the homemade cranberry sauce helps keep it moist and juicy. The only other thing to be careful of is overcooking the chicken. This will dry it out. Remove the chicken once the internal temperature of the chicken thighs is 165 degrees F.
Top Tips
- Don't overcook the cranberry sauce! Cook just until the cranberries begin to burst, then remove from heat. If the cranberry sauce stays on the heat for too long, it can begin to burn and over-thicken.
- Do not attempt to cook the rice directly in the casserole dish. White rice needs about an hour to cook through evenly in the oven and won't work with the cook time for the cranberry chicken.
Serving
This cranberry chicken is made with rice and can certainly be served as is. However, you may want to add some vegetables or greens to your meal.
- Squash- roasted butternut, acorn or delicata squash would go very well with the flavors of the dish.
- Green beans- sautéed or steamed green beans will be great with the chicken. Top them with shaved almonds for even more flavor.
- Salad- a simple salad made of spinach or mixed greens, slivered almonds, crumbled feta or goat cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette will pair well with the cranberry orange chicken.
- For dessert. Serve my Gluten-Free Apple Crisp with Cranberries after this meal for a delish dessert.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
🍳Recipe
Cranberry Orange Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 cups water
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 large orange, juiced and zested
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cook the rice according to package directions and set aside.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper and garlic cloves.
- Begin making the cranberry sauce by adding cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, honey, cinnamon, balsamic vinegar and rosemary to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until the cranberries burst and thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Once thickened, turn off the heat and smash the cranberries with a fork or potato masher.
- Add the cooked rice to a casserole dish and top with the chicken thighs. Spread the cranberry sauce over the chicken thighs.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to plates along with the rice and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don't overcook the cranberry sauce! Cook just until the cranberries begin to burst, then remove from heat. If the cranberry sauce stays on the heat for too long, it can begin to burn and over-thicken.
- Do not attempt to cook the rice directly in the casserole dish. White rice needs about an hour to cook through evenly in the oven and won't work with the cook time for the cranberry chicken.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Rebecca - Glutarama says
A wonderful one-pot dish, I love orange and cranberry and to have those flavours in this delicious comfort food dinner is perfection in my opinion.
Sarah Holt says
Thanks Rebecca! I love orange and cranberry combo in this one.
Chloe Edges says
I absolutely love the look of this - such a great flavour combo and easy too. Must try!
Sarah Holt says
Thanks Chloe!
Chrissie Baker says
Mmm! Cranberry Orange Chicken? Yes, please!! I love these flavors and I love how easy it is. It really is the perfect meal for holidays!
Sarah Holt says
Love these flavors for the holidays, thanks Chrissie!
Angela says
Cranberry/orange is one of my favorite flavor profiles. Along with the cinnamon and balsamic vinegar this recipe can't go wrong!
Sarah Holt says
Thanks so much Angela!
Erika says
These chicken thighs sound amazing! So perfect for fall!
Sarah Holt says
Thanks Erika, hope you try!
Beth says
This looks so delicious and yummy! My family is going to love this recipe! I can't wait to give this a try!
Sarah Holt says
Let me know how it comes out!
Alison says
This looks like a delicious alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving! It would make a delicious meal for a small home gathering.
Sarah Holt says
My thoughts exactly when creating this recipe, thanks Alison!