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Cranberry Rosemary Chicken Skillet

Crispy pan-seared chicken thighs nestled in a sweet and savory balsamic cranberry glaze with fresh rosemary. A perfect one-pan holiday meal.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Modern
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

The Chicken
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
The Sauce & Aromatics
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries or frozen
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.25 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup or honey

Equipment

  • Large Cast Iron Skillet (or oven-safe pan)
  • Tongs
  • Meat thermometer

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken skin-side down for 6-8 minutes until crispy and golden. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Remove chicken to a plate.
  3. Drain most fat from the pan. Add cranberries, rosemary sprigs, and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Deglaze the pan with chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Stir in balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Return chicken to the pan, nestling it into the sauce skin-side up (keep skin exposed).
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and sauce is thick.
  7. Let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken to serve, garnishing with fresh rosemary.

Notes

If the sauce is too thin after baking, remove the chicken and simmer the sauce on the stove for 2-3 minutes to thicken. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the glaze.