Description
Succulent cranberry-glazed chicken brings festive flavors from Mediterranean kitchens to your dining table. Tangy cranberry sauce perfectly complements juicy chicken, offering a delightful balance of sweet and savory notes you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) cranberry sauce (homemade or canned)
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) honey
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) Dijon mustard
Seasoning and Cooking Ingredients:
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
Garnish (optional):
- Fresh thyme or parsley
Instructions
- Liberally coat the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper, ensuring an even distribution of seasoning across both surfaces.
- Warm olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium temperature, carefully placing the seasoned chicken breasts into the pan.
- Cook the chicken for approximately 6-8 minutes on each side, developing a rich golden-brown exterior and confirming doneness through an internal temperature reading of 165°F.
- Simultaneously prepare the glaze by vigorously blending cranberry sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard in a separate mixing vessel until achieving a smooth, uniform consistency.
- Transfer the perfectly cooked chicken breasts to the glaze, allowing them to gently simmer and absorb the vibrant, tangy sauce for 3-4 minutes.
- Carefully plate the glazed chicken, generously drizzling any remaining sauce over the top for maximum flavor intensity.
- Optionally, enhance the visual appeal and aromatic profile by garnishing with delicate sprigs of fresh thyme or finely chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Customize the chicken’s flavor by experimenting with different spice blends like smoked paprika or herbs de Provence for a unique twist.
- For a lower-sugar option, replace honey with monk fruit sweetener or use sugar-free cranberry sauce to reduce overall carbohydrate content.
- Ensure chicken is thoroughly cooked by using a meat thermometer, checking the internal temperature reaches exactly 165°F to prevent dryness while guaranteeing food safety.
- Transform this dish into a gluten-free meal by verifying all ingredients are certified gluten-free, particularly the cranberry sauce and Dijon mustard.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg