Go Back
Avatar photoEmily Garcia

Honey Cranberry Chicken Bake

This $40\text{-minute}$ dinner is a "one-pan wonder" that strikes the perfect balance between sweet, tangy, and savory. Tender chicken breasts are glazed with a honey-balsamic reduction, topped with tart cranberries, and finished with creamy dollops of ricotta cheese.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Festive
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) (Protein)
  • 3 tbsp Honey (Glaze)
  • 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar (Glaze)
  • 1 cup Ricotta cheese (Creamy & Nutty)
  • 0.25 cup Chopped pecans (optional) (Creamy & Nutty)
  • 1 cup Fresh or frozen cranberries (Fruit & Herbs)
  • 0.5 tsp Garlic powder (Fruit & Herbs)
  • 0.5 tsp Dried thyme (Fruit & Herbs)
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped (Fruit & Herbs)
  • Olive oil, Salt, Black pepper (To taste) (Pantry Essentials)

Equipment

  • skillet for searing
  • Baking dish for roasting
  • Meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches $165^{circ}text{F}$

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to **$400^{circ}text{F}$** ($200^{circ}text{C}$). Lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for **$2text{–}3text{ minutes}$** per side until golden brown. Once seared, transfer the chicken to your prepared baking dish.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and balsamic vinegar. Pour this glaze evenly over the chicken breasts. Scatter the cranberries around the dish and spoon generous dollops of ricotta cheese directly onto each piece of chicken.
  4. Bake uncovered for **$25text{–}30text{ minutes}$** until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of **$165^{circ}text{F}$** ($74^{circ}text{C}$). If using pecans, sprinkle them over the dish for the final $5text{ minutes}$ of baking.
  5. Let the chicken rest for **$5text{ minutes}$** after removing it from the oven to ensure it stays juicy. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with the warm pan juices drizzled over the top.

Notes

The secret to keeping the meat juicy is the initial skillet sear; do not skip this step. If you prefer a saltier finish, you can swap the ricotta for whipped feta or goat cheese. If using pecans, add them during the last $5text{ minutes}$ of baking to prevent burning. Let the chicken rest for $5text{ minutes}$ after baking to lock in the juices.