Description
Cranberry Glazed Chicken is a sweet-and-tangy, weeknight-friendly dish that feels special enough for guests. Juicy seared chicken breasts are oven-baked in a glossy cranberry, soy, honey, and Dijon glaze that caramelizes around the edges. It comes together quickly, uses simple pantry staples, and brings a pop of festive flavor any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup cranberry sauce (jellied or whole-berry)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium recommended)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cranberry sauce, soy sauce, honey, and Dijon mustard until smooth and well combined.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken breasts and sear for 3–4 minutes per side, or until nicely golden brown.
- Pour the cranberry glaze evenly over the chicken, turning each piece to ensure it’s well coated.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).
- Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Spoon some of the pan sauce over the top, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve warm with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Use an instant-read thermometer to avoid overcooking; pull the chicken from the oven right at 165°F (75°C).
- If your glaze seems too thick, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons of water to loosen it before pouring over the chicken.
- Both jellied and whole-berry cranberry sauce work; whole-berry adds extra texture to the finished dish.
- Taste the glaze before baking and adjust the sweetness (more honey) or tang (more Dijon) to your liking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Dinner
- Method: Stovetop + Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with glaze (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g (estimated)
- Sodium: 620 mg (estimated, using regular soy sauce)
- Fat: 8 g (estimated)
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g (estimated)
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.5 g (estimated)
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g (estimated)
- Fiber: 1 g (estimated)
- Protein: 34 g (estimated)
- Cholesterol: 95 mg (estimated)
Keywords: cranberry glazed chicken, cranberry chicken, sweet and tangy chicken, baked chicken breasts, holiday chicken recipe