Cranberry Rosemary Roasted Chicken

It's like Thanksgiving came early, but without all those damn house guests!

I don't cook often with rosemary, but the Fall and Winter months simply scream for this woodsy, earthy herb! Combined with tart cranberry sauce and bright orange zest wake up a relatively drab protein like chicken.

And while you could certainly give this recipe a try with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I urge you to track down some chicken on the bone. When cooking meat on the bone, the meat remains moist and flavorful. I prefer breast meat, but thighs would be just as lovely and even juicier! You could even go as far as to roast a whole chicken but you may want to double the marinade.

Serve it up with a pile of roasted veg, whipped potatoes or savory stuffing for a true taste of the holiday season. Great for a comforting weeknight meal, but also stunning for casual Fall entertaining.

Cranberry Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Ingredients

· 1/3 cup chunky cranberry sauce

· 2 tbsp olive oil

· 2 tsp salt

· ½ tsp pepper

· Zest of an orange

· 1 tbsp rosemary, chopped

· 1 clove garlic, minced

· 2 chicken breasts on the bone, skin on

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cranberry sauce, oil, salt, pepper, zest, rosemary, and garlic.

Place the chicken breasts on a greased baking pan. Gently run your index finger under the skin of the chicken to partially separate the skin from the breast. Spoon 1 tbsp of the cranberry mixture under the skin of each breast. Rub the marinade into the meat. Spoon the remaining mixture over the chicken breasts.

Roast for 40-55 minutes until cooked through. Cooking temperatures will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts. The chicken is cooked when juices run clear. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes tented under aluminum foil before slicing.

Serves 2-4

Notes

This is a perfect recipe when you’re itching for some holiday flavor.