Roasted Cranberry Chicken Thighs
These roasted cranberry chicken thighs are the perfect fall dinner—savory, tangy, and just a little sweet. Bone-in, skin-on chicken gets rubbed with a garlic-spice mixture, then baked with tart cranberries, lemon slices, rosemary, and onions until golden and juicy.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time40 minutes mins
Total Time50 minutes mins
Servings: 4
- 1 cup cranberries
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 6 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 1 lemon sliced
- 3-4 rosemary sprigs
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
Preheat your oven to 425°F and lightly grease a baking dish or set it aside. In a small bowl, toss the cranberries with the white wine vinegar and brown sugar until they’re nicely coated and glossy. Set that aside to let the flavor soak in.
Pat your chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels—this helps them roast up golden and crisp. In a separate small bowl, mix together the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil to make a quick rub. Massage that all over the chicken, then lay the thighs into your baking dish. Scatter the sliced onions right over the top.
Tuck lemon slices around the chicken, then spoon the cranberries (plus a little of the juice from the bottom of the bowl) over everything. Break the rosemary sprigs in half and nestle them in. Pour the chicken broth over the whole thing—don’t worry, it’ll help make everything juicy and flavorful as it roasts.
Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the tops are golden. You’re looking for an internal temp of 165°F. Once it's beautifully roasted and the kitchen smells like fall, serve it up with mashed potatoes, rice, or stuffing. So good.