Description
Create a show-stopping Cranberry Balsamic Roast Chicken for your next festive gathering. This recipe blends tart cranberries and rich balsamic vinegar for a memorable centerpiece that brings joy to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole chicken (about 4–5 lbs)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Season generously inside and out with salt and pepper.
- In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and honey. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the honey dissolves. Remove from heat. This is your glaze base.
- Place the quartered onion and rosemary sprigs inside the chicken cavity.
- Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Brush half of the balsamic glaze over the entire surface of the chicken.
- Scatter the cranberries around the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Roast for 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Continue roasting, brushing the chicken with the remaining glaze every 20 minutes.
- Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes total cooking time.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy the performance!
Notes
- You can toss the cranberries with a little olive oil before placing them in the pan to prevent sticking.
- If you want a thicker sauce, simmer the pan drippings with a splash of chicken broth after removing the chicken.
- Feel free to add orange slices to the cavity for extra brightness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz cooked chicken
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 150mg