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Juicy one-pan cranberry roasted skillet chicken is perfect for an easy dinner at home with the family. Baked chicken thighs are cooked to perfection with cranberries and crumbled feta cheese, then topped with fresh rosemary. Perfect for the holidays!
If you’re a fan of crispy baked chicken thighs with savory and sweet flavors, then you’re really going to love this one-pan cranberry roasted skillet chicken recipe. Made in just one dish for the easiest preparation out there!
We love to make this dish during the holidays because it’s a family favorite every time we prepare it. This recipe tastes delicious with some of my homemade rolls, a fresh salad like green bean and tomato salad, and a bowl of quinoa.
Why you’ll love this skillet chicken recipe
- Packed with flavor: Golden chicken thighs, covered with roasted cranberries and crumbly feta. It’s a wonderful mix of tangy, savory, and subtly sweet – yum!
- This an easy chicken recipe. Cooked up in one pan, only a handful of ingredients are needed, it’s such a simple and delicious recipe to whip up!
- Great for the holidays: Fed up with the usual roast turkey? Why not pull out this beautiful and mouth watering dish for your guests, a guaranteed crowd-pleaser?
- Perfectly cooked chicken. The chicken is seared and then baked, keeping it moist and super succulent!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Chicken Thighs: We like to use bone-in chicken thighs because they get nice and crispy once cooked.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is our preferred oil because it’s so robust and flavorful but any type of oil can be used.
- Sweet Onion: Onion gives this recipe extra flavor and makes it so divine.
- Dried Cranberries: Responsible for the sweet aspect of the recipe, you can use fresh cranberries, too.
- Garlic Cloves: Robust and savory garlic cloves give this recipe even more flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Use your favorite chicken broth or just use water.
- Crumbled Feta Cheese: The feta cheese gives this recipe a bit of tanginess that is oh, so delicious. You can use goat cheese, too.
- Fresh Thyme: There’s nothing quite like fresh thyme which is responsible for an aromatic experience.
- Salt & Pepper: A little bit of salt and pepper goes a long way!
How to make this skillet chicken
In a large skillet with oil, garlic, and onions, sear the chicken until golden – about three to four minutes.
Next, add broth to the skillet, with the cranberries and fresh thyme. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the oven, sprinkle with feta cheese, and fresh thyme – enjoy!
Recipe notes and tips
- Before I season the chicken thighs I love to wash them thoroughly with distilled vinegar. This helps bring out the seasoning really well.
- Make sure to dab the chicken dry, the drier exterior will encourage better browning.
- Don’t move the chicken around when it is searing. You will have the best browning if you let the chicken sit still and only move once when flipping.
- Cook in oil so the chicken won’t stick, however, don’t use too much or it will splatter.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the temp. It should register between 160-165 F. This is not only for safety but also means you can remove it before drying out the chicken.
- Don’t throw away the brown bits! The browned pieces in the juice from the pan make for a lovely sauce, don’t throw it out, throw it on!
- Omit the feta if you want it dairy-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thyme works great with chicken, but feel free to mix things up! Things like oregano, marjoram, parsley, and basil add a different flavor profile. Be aware that you may need to pile on the parsley a bit more as it has a lighter flavor.
You can marinate the chicken, wrap it in bacon, use a brine, rub it with more spices, and so much more!
The secret to juice chicken is using a brine!
Using fresh cranberries
This Skillet Chicken works great with dried cranberries, but fresh cranberries are awesome! In the U.S. fresh cranberries are usually available from the start of Fall through to December. Choose cranberries that look plump and have a rich, dark color to them. Also, they should also be firm to the touch.
Give the fresh cranberries a good rinse in water to clean them off and remove any stems. Make sure to pat them dry with a kitchen towel before using them. Fresh cranberries are tart, so you can toss them in a bit of brown sugar with some white wine vinegar before adding them to the recipe.
What to serve with this skillet chicken
This dish goes well with a whole host of sides! From salads to roasted veggies and potatoes, you can pair up with loads of tasty treats. Why not try:
- Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
- Black Bean Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Baked Garlic Butter Hasselback Potatoes
- Pumpkin Spice Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
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One Pan Cranberry Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 6-8 Chicken Thighs, (bone-in, skin-on), about 1.5 lbs
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Sweet Onion, diced
- ⅓ Cup Dried Cranberries , or fresh cranberries
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves, minced or pressed
- ¾ Cup Chicken Broth or Water
- ¼ Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
- 5-6 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook until fragrant, for 1 minute.
- Add chicken, skin side down, and sear until golden on both sides, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add broth and sprinkle with cranberries and fresh thyme, then roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh thyme. Enjoy!
Notes
- Before I season the chicken thighs I love to wash them thoroughly with distilled vinegar. This helps bring out the seasoning really well.
- Make sure to dab the chicken dry, the drier exterior will encourage better browning.
- Don’t move the chicken around when it is searing. You will have the best browning if you let the chicken sit still and only move once when flipping.
- Cook in oil so the chicken won’t stick, however, don’t use too much or it will splatter.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the temp. It should register between 160-165 F. This is not only for safety but also means you can remove before drying out the chicken.
- Don’t throw away the brown bits! The browned pieces in the juice from the pan make for a love sauce, don’t throw it out, throw it on!
- Omit the feta if you want it dairy-free.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! I used a couple large shallots because it was what I had available, put in more dried cranberries, and instead of broth I used a combo of white wine (pinot grigio) and apple cider. Love the cranberry-shallot mixture with the feta. Gives the chicken a lot of excellent flavor!
Those are some great additions. So glad this worked for you and you loved it.
So I am only tweaking this recipe a little. I have a whole chicken I am going to cut into pieces and unfortunately I am going to have to leave out the cheese this time around. Looking forward to trying this new recipe.
Hi Lyra
How did it come out? hope you liked it.