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Fresh Cranberry Chicken Bake with Feta | Easy Weeknight Dinner

Honey Cranberry Chicken Bake with Feta

Chicken breasts roast with fresh cranberries in a honey glaze and finish with crumbled feta cheese for a sweet, salty one-pan dinner.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340

Ingredients
  

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels so the glaze sticks to the surface instead of sliding off.
  2. Make the honey glaze: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the honey, olive oil, garlic, and orange juice for about 2 minutes, stirring until the mixture loosens and smells fragrant.
  3. Season the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and the dried herbs.
  4. Add the cranberries: Scatter the fresh cranberries around the chicken in the baking dish so they roast in the same juices.
  5. Brush on the first glaze coat: Spoon half of the warm honey glaze over the chicken and cranberries, making sure every piece gets coated.
  6. Start baking: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the chicken starts to turn opaque at the edges.
  7. Baste again: Remove the pan and brush on the remaining glaze, spooning some of the pan juices over the cranberries as they begin to soften.
  8. Finish baking: Return the pan to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally and the cranberries have burst into a syrupy glaze.
  9. Add the feta cheese: Pull the pan from the oven and scatter crumbled feta cheese over the hot chicken so it softens slightly without fully melting.
  10. Rest before serving: Let the chicken rest in the pan for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute through the meat before slicing and serving.