Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp ghee preferred, or coconut oil for browning
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp organic poultry seasoning
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
For the Cranberry Sauce:
- 1 cup whole fresh cranberries
- 6 Tbsp orange juice
- Finely grated zest of one large orange 1 1/2 - 2 tsp
- 2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup or adjust for sweetness preference or use 2 tbsp date paste for whole 30*)
- 1/2 tsp tapioca starch or arrowroot powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine the salt, pepper, and other spices for the chicken in a small bowl.
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Heat a large one proof skillet oven medium high heat and add the ghee or coconut oil. Rub salt/spice mixture into chicken and place in hot pan, smooth side down. Brown one side for 5 minutes then flip and add cranberry mixture (see below), place in preheated oven as instructed below.
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Either beforehand, or while the chicken browns, combine cranberries, orange juice, zest, and maple syrup (or date paste) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and bring to a boil.
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Once boiling, lower the heat and whisk in the tapioca starch, continue to boil and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the spices for the cranberry sauce, then remove from heat.
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Pour sauce over the browned chicken and place the skillet in the oven, bake for 10-15 more minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce is bubbling.
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Spoon any additional sauce with pan juices over the chicken to serve, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*To make date paste, place a handful of pitted medjool dates (about 1/2 cup) in 3-4 Tbsp of very hot water to soften. After 5 minutes you can stir to make sure they'e soft, then blend the mixture in a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and add water if needed to get the right consistency.