Tender seared chicken breasts simmered in a slightly sweet, tangy cranberry sauce with fresh spinach an easy, vibrant weeknight meal.

Scale

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup orange juice (or apple cider)

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh)

3–4 cups fresh spinach

Optional: orange zest for garnish

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.

3. In the same skillet, sauté onion until softened.

4. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.

5. Stir in cranberries, chicken broth, orange juice, honey, Dijon, and thyme.

6. Simmer 5 minutes until cranberries burst and sauce begins to thicken.

7. Return chicken to the skillet; spoon sauce over the top.

8. Simmer 10–15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

9. Stir in fresh spinach until wilted.

10. Adjust sweetness or acidity to taste; garnish with orange zest if desired.

11. Serve warm with rice, quinoa, or mashed potatoes.

Use dried cranberries only if fresh/frozen are unavailable—reduce honey accordingly.

For creamier sauce, stir in 2 tbsp heavy cream at the end.

Great meal-prep dish; sauce becomes even better the next day.

Keywords: cranberry chicken, spinach chicken, easy chicken skillet