cranberry balsamic chicken

A great recipe from Eating Well Magazine. Light, colorful and great for any season. Buy cranberries in November and freeze because they are hard to find. I use chicken breasts.

  • 4 chicken breast halves
  • ½ teaspoon salt, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups cranberries, thawed if frozen
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
  • Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, reduce heat to medium and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pan.
  • Turn the chicken over and add cranberries, vinegar, honey and thyme to the pan. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part without touching bone reaches 165 degrees F, 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Increase heat to high, add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook uncovered, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Serve the chicken with the sauce.