Description
An elegant tart-sweet cranberry marinade that transforms ordinary chicken into a refined dish with a jewel-toned glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.2 lb / 550 g), pounded to even thickness
- 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries (120 g) – lightly crushed
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice (80 ml)
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or microgreens
Instructions
- Pulse the cranberries, orange juice, honey, Dijon, and vinegar in a blender until mostly smooth but with some textured bits remaining.
- Whisk in the olive oil, grated garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper until emulsified into a silky dressing.
- Place the chicken in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour over the marinade, turning to coat evenly. Let sit for 15–30 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Remove chicken from the marinade, pat lightly to remove excess, and cook over medium-high heat until cooked through (about 4–6 minutes per side).
- Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.
- Serve slices with any warmed reduced marinade, garnished with orange zest and parsley.
Notes
Balance acidity by adjusting honey or vinegar in small increments. Use room-temperature oil for better emulsification.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 325
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg