Once in a while, a dish like this cranberry chicken recipe comes along, and suddenly, you have a family favorite. Mom loves it because it goes together in no time flat, and the kids love it because it tastes amazing! The sauce that happens in the oven is everything we love: a little bit sweet, a little bit salty, a little bit tangy.
When our youngest granddaughter was a senior in high school, she had earned the privilege to leave campus for lunch. About once a week, she had lunch with us. When I served this, she said, "I'm not a cranberry person, but this is great!" You don't have to love cranberries to love this dish!
It only takes four simple ingredients and about an hour to create this wonderful main dish! I used boneless, skinless chicken breast, but if you're a fan of boneless chicken thighs, I'm sure they would work very well, too!
Trim the chicken and cut it into serving-size pieces. Place them in a baking dish you have sprayed or greased lightly. Next, mix a package of onion soup mix with one cup of your favorite French-type dressing and a 15.25-ounce can of whole-berry cranberry sauce in a medium-sized bowl.
Pour that mixture over the chicken and bake it for about one hour in a 350-degree oven or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. The best tool for checking the temperature is an instant-read thermometer. The link takes you to one that's quite budget-friendly.
Undercooked chicken is a hazard, and overcooked chicken, especially chicken breast, can be stringy and dry. With an instant-read thermometer, you take the guesswork out of making sure the chicken is perfectly done. Ask Santa to put one in your stocking!
I've tried them all, and they are all fabulous! For starters, you can change the type of French Dressing you use. For example, Russian Dressing, Western Dressing, Creamy French, California French, and Catalina dressings will work great. If you are lucky to live in Nebraska, our beloved Dorothy Lynch dressing is amazing!
If you don't live in Nebraska, don't panic! Millions of people have grown to love Nebraska's own Dorothy Lynch dressing! It's one of the things people who move away crave (along with Runzas,) and it's not widely available. Fortunately, it is on Amazon; you will never be the same once you taste it!
You can also vary the sweet element in this dish! I have also tried orange marmalade, peach preserves, and apricot preserves. I prefer jam or preserves to jelly because they have more fruit.
I plan to try apple pie filling one of these times, and I'll cut the apples into smaller pieces for better distribution. So you see, if you're stumped for a dinner idea one of these days, you'll probably find something in your cupboard that will work great.
You can also make this cranberry chicken recipe in the crock pot without changing the proportions. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-2.5 hours until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Before serving, you'll want to thicken the yummy sauce with a little cornstarch and water slurry. The sauce is one of the greatest parts of the dish! Serve it over rice or noodles for a home run!
A chicken dish that's quick and easy to make with so many ways to serve it. This recipe will become a family favorite.
You can also cook this in a crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-2.5 hours until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Thicken the sauce as needed with a slurry of cornstarch and water.
Dorothy Lynch Salad Dressing, as mentioned in the post, does not contain high fructose corn syrup.
Mealtime comes around so quickly it can feel overwhelming! That's why it's good to have a few go-to recipes that are easy, tasty, and fast. Here are a few of my most popular recipes perfect for busy weeknights and working parents: Easy Runza Casserole, American Goulash, Easy Weeknight Chili Cheese Dog Bake.
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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