If you have cranberries left from Thanksgiving and some chicken thighs, you're in luck. You can make dinner in a skillet in about 30 minutes. The dish is a little sweet, a little tart, and plenty savory. It's also easy and hard to mess up, because the chicken thighs are less prone to drying out than chicken breasts. The chicken turns out moist, nicely seasoned, and easy to eat. The dish also is colorful, with bright pops of tart red cranberries scattered through it. Try the chicken thighs and their sauce atop noodles, rice, potatoes, or polenta. Or just eat the chicken "as is," with a some fresh bread alongside to catch the sauce. Enjoy!
Cranberry Chicken Thighs -- Serves 4
2 tablespoons of canola or olive oil
1/2 cup of chopped onion
4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
1/2 cup of chicken broth or 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of chicken "Better Than Bullion"
1/2 cup of orange juice, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
2 cups of fresh cranberries (washed first)
1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch or potato starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water
1/4 cup of chopped green onions
In a large skillet or chef's pan heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering and add the onion. Saute the onion for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Move the onion to the sides of the pan and add the chicken thighs to the pan. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Cook the chicken until browned on the first side (about five or six minutes), then flip it and cook it for another five minutes or so. Stir in the chicken broth, 1/2 cup of orange juice, garlic powder, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Sprinkle the cranberries evenly over the chicken, cover the pan, and turn down the heat to a high simmer/low boil. Cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of at least 175 degrees. Remove the lid and stir in the cornstarch mixture until the sauce thickens. Stir in the green onions and the remaining orange juice. Turn off the heat, add more salt and pepper, if you'd like, and serve the chicken and sauce.
