• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hunger Thirst Play

Delicious Recipes for Every Season

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • eBooks
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • eBooks
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • eBooks
    • Work with Me
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Hunger

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    By Lauren on November 6, 2017, Updated April 27, 2021 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Golden brown skin, pleasantly crispy, a hint of salt with fresh herbs scattered throughout, giving way to steaming, tender chicken infused with flavors of red wine, tart cranberries and bright balsamic acidity with the richness of chicken stock and a touch of butter to even it out. These cranberry walnut chicken thighs are a cold weather meal that will make your mouth very happy.

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    For me, I know it's time to break out the fall weather cooking and baking recipes when one thing in particular happens. Naturally, the changing of the season helps with the leaves turning brilliant colors of red, yellow and orange, and the crisp fall air makes the world smell of autumn. But no, that's not what I'm talking about.

    It's officially time to put on your fall flavor thinking cap when you walk into the market and the product that echoes, "Hey! It's fall!" is right there staring you in the face. Bright red and maroon round spheres stacked at the front of the produce department. Crisp, tart and tangy.

    Cranberry season in New England is here. Let's not disappoint our small, snappy and rotund Cape Cod fruits and make all the things with them.

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    Braising Chicken Thighs

    Apologies in advance for repetition, but being from and living in New England is one of my favorite things. Historical places are literally around every corner, not to mention the beautiful scenery...but really, the food is where it's at. When it comes to fall weather foods, New England does it right.

    Cranberries that are grown just an hour drive from the city center. So let's grab some of these fresh New England berries and simmer them in a rich, red wine sauce to serve up in these with one of the most underrated cuts of chicken.

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    Chicken thighs are typically inexpensive and easy to find. For this chicken thigh recipe, you'll want the bone-in and skin-on. In my opinion, I find them to be the most looked over cut of the chicken.

    Perhaps it's the skin or that the bone requires just a touch longer for cooking. For the cost, these chicken thighs when cooked with cranberries and walnuts have the perfect tang and rich flavors.

    They're also a great alternative for anyone whose not a big turkey fan or if you're having a smaller style Thanksgiving Dinner, this dish is far easier than roasting a whole turkey and packs all sorts of tantalizing tastes.

    Very forgiving, because there is additional fat from the bone and the skin, as well as the additional liquid from the sauce, if you do cook these chicken thighs a touch too long, they will still end up moist, tender with delightfully crispy skin. A win for the chef and a win for the guests!

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    Tips for braising chicken thighs:

    • Be sure to pat the chicken thighs dry
    • If you can, leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour
    • Season liberally with salt, pepper and herbs
    • Heat your pan, then add oil
    • Match your braising liquid to your meats (chicken dishes get chicken stock, beef dishes get beef stock).

    Once these first few steps are down, you'll just need a few more ingredients to throw into the pan and we can call it a day. Might as well pour a glass of wine and start relaxing now, right?

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    Cranberry Walnut Sauce and Chicken Thighs

    Favorite things about this sauce, hmmm.

    • cranberries, but we already discussed that
    • all the ingredients are pretty common fridge and pantry staples.
    • the balance of tart, acidic and fat

    The number one favorite thing about this sauce? Throwing ingredients in a pan and letting it come together on its own while the chicken bakes away adding additional flavor. Yep, that's it, that's the one.

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    After braising the chicken thighs, you'll want to carefully remove about most of the fat from the pan. Remove the seared chicken thighs to a plate and drain the fat into a bowl, letting it cool down before discarding it.

    From there, begin building your sauce over medium high heat before sliding the chicken thighs and any juices back into the pan. The red wine will simmer, deglazing the pan - which is really just a fancy way of saying it's going to get all the good fatty protein deliciousness that stuck to the bottom of the pan and incorporate it into the sauce. Let's put these bad Larry's in the oven and think about more important things, like sides, dessert and what wine we will pair with it.

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    Dishing it out

    Side dishes are an important piece to the main event. These puréed parsnips are one of my favorite things to serve up with any seared chicken dish. Creamy, slightly starchy and subtle sweetness of this cold weather root vegetable is in perfect contrast to the tart, crispy chicken. Besides, it's real easy to make so that's always a no brainer decision. Other favorites include my absolute favorite way to have kale.

    Pair your Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs with whatever makes you stress free and happy. Tuck in and enjoy this New England inspired, fancy looking, easy to accomplish dinner!

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

     

    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs

    Tender juicy chicken thighs braised with herbs and spices for delightfully crispy skin and simmered with red wine, walnuts, fresh cranberries and herbs for a rich, tart sauce perfect for the holidays.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: chicken thighs, cranberry chicken recipes, cranberry walnut chicken thighs, one pan chicken
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 50 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 1068kcal
    Author: Lauren
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 4 pounds chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on (about 6 to 7 pieces)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ cup dry red wine
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • ¼ cup chicken stock
    • ⅓ cup walnuts (whole, raw)
    • ½ cup fresh cranberries
    • 3 cloves garlic

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°F.  Remove the chicken thighs from package and pat dry with paper towels.
    • Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, resting on the plate skin side up.  Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
    • Heat a large, oven safe sauté pan or cast iron skillet over high heat.  Add the olive oil and heat until it is shiny and hot.  Braise the chicken thighs skin side down until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Turn thighs over and let braise on the other side for 2 minutes.
    • Remove the pan from heat.  Transfer chicken thighs to a plate.  Carefully remove almost all of the grease from the pan to a heat proof bowl.
    • Return the pan to medium high heat and deglaze the pan with red wine.  Cook for 1 minutes then stir in the balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, unsalted butter to the sauce.  Sprinkle walnuts, cranberries, and garlic around the pan between the chicken thighs.
    • Slide the chicken thighs and any juices back to the pan.  Place the pan in the oven and finish cooking at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes.

    Notes

    If you prefer a thicker, gravy style sauce: stir 2 teaspoons of corn starch into 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons water.  With the sauce simmering on low heat, slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture and whisk together for 1 to 2 minutes until it begins to thicken.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1068kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 83g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 393mg | Sodium: 903mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg
    Cranberry Walnut Chicken Thighs
    « Coffee Catch Up: 4th Edition
    Exploring the New Blackstone River Greenway »
    433 shares
    • Share13
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kait Around The Kingdom says

      November 08, 2017 at 8:45 pm

      This looks so yummy! I’ll have to try this!

      Reply
    2. Tara says

      November 08, 2017 at 5:55 pm

      this looks so fantastic, and beautiful!! i saved on pinterest and followed you as well!

      Reply
    3. Allison says

      November 08, 2017 at 8:13 am

      This looks delicious and perfect for Thanksgiving!

      Reply
    4. summer says

      November 07, 2017 at 8:27 pm

      Oh. My. Gosh. This is the new recipe I've been looking for - this is perfect for this time of year, too!

      Reply
    5. Belle says

      November 07, 2017 at 10:35 am

      Oh my gosh! That looks really good! This is perfect for the holidays! I will absolutely try this!

      Belle | One Awesome Momma

      Reply
    6. Helen says

      November 07, 2017 at 8:30 am

      Holy yum! This looks AMAZING. What a perfect dish for the holidays!

      Reply
    7. Melissa Griffiths says

      November 06, 2017 at 8:10 pm

      You had me at cranberry walnut! Love this time of year!

      Reply
      • Lauren says

        November 07, 2017 at 1:10 pm

        I agree! I love this time of year!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Lauren! This is my slice of the internet to share seasonally-inspired recipes. I live in the heart of New England with my husband, two kiddos, English bulldog and our two local restaurants. Life is busy AND delicious!

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Low-Calorie Spicy Thai Peanut Dressing
    • Trader Joe's Kale Gnocchi with Arrabbiata
    • Whole Wheat Sourdough Pumpkin Bread
    • Iced Lavender Matcha Latte

    Get my Thanksgiving eCookbook!

    Footer

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Inquiries + Collabs
    • Subscribe for updates!

    Recipes

    • All Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes

    Our Restaurants

    • Bonefish Harrys
    • Portsmouth Feed Company
    • Thirsty Butcher Hospitality
    • Restaurant Photography

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hunger Thirst Play

    Copyright© 2023 Hunger Thirst Play · Privacy Policy ·