Description
Golden pan-seared boneless skinless chicken thighs in a thick, glossy cranberry orange sauce made from scratch in the same skillet with fresh or frozen cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Sweet, tart, savory, and stunning — a holiday-worthy dinner ready in 35 minutes with one pan to clean.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Cranberry Orange Sauce
- 1 ½ cups (150g) cranberries, fresh or frozen
- ⅔ cup (166g) orange juice
- ¼ cup (79g) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Orange slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Mix salt, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl. Season both sides of the chicken evenly.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Cook 5 minutes, flip, cook another 5 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F. Remove to a plate and tent with foil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low.
- To the same skillet, add cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange zest, garlic, and salt.
- Cook about 10 minutes until thickened, scraping up browned bits and gently squishing cranberries to release their juices.
- Nestle chicken back into the skillet, spoon sauce over each piece. Cook 1 minute until chicken is heated through.
- Garnish with orange slices and serve warm.
Notes
Chicken
- Chicken breasts can be used instead of thighs — reduce cook time to 4 minutes per side and check for 165°F internal temp.
- Work in batches if your skillet is small to avoid steaming the chicken instead of searing it.
🫐 Cranberries
- Both fresh and frozen cranberries work perfectly. No need to thaw frozen ones before adding to the skillet.
- The cranberries will naturally burst and break down as they cook — gently press them with a spoon to help release their juices.
🍊 Sauce
- For a thicker sauce, cook 2–3 extra minutes. For a thinner sauce, add a splash of orange juice.
- Taste and adjust sweetness — add a little more maple syrup or brown sugar if you prefer a sweeter sauce.
- Fresh orange zest makes a big difference in flavor — don’t skip it!
🧊 Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or microwave in 30-second intervals.
- The sauce thickens further when chilled — add a splash of orange juice when reheating to loosen it up.
❄️ Freezing
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.