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A healthy dinner is ready with only 5 minutes of prep! This one-skillet blackberry chicken is a fast, fresh, and family-friendly meal to take advantage of summer’s produce. The blackberry sauce is sweet and savory, thanks to plenty of onion, fresh herbs, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and cider vinegar, making it the perfect topping for a simple, affordable cut of meat.
Table of Contents
Blackberry season is one of the best times of the year in the South! When you’ve had your fill of blackberry cobbler or blackberry muffins, and you’re ready for a savory dish to take advantage of the fresh summer produce, these blackberry chicken thighs are the perfect option. They’re quick, easy, tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful!
Blackberry Sauce for Chicken
While chicken with blackberry sauce might sound a wee bit fancy or unusual, I assure you that it’s not! I don’t do fancy. This is just a really delicious meal that’s ready in one skillet, from start-to-finish, in about 30 minutes.
The chicken gets nice and brown on the outside, stays tender and juicy on the inside, and serves as an ideal base for the delicious pan sauce. Think of the blackberry glaze as a sweet and savory quick blackberry jam. It simmers in the skillet until the liquid thickens and reduces and the berries break down and soften. Pair the blackberry glazed chicken with a skillet of cast iron cornbread, a pan of Charleston red rice, or a basket of buttermilk biscuits for a hearty, satisfying, and family-friendly summer dinner.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pan of blackberry glazed chicken. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Blackberries: use fresh blackberries when they’re in season, or frozen berries at other times of year. If using frozen fruit, you don’t even need to thaw the berries before adding them to the pan.
- Brown sugar: to macerate the berries, and to sweeten and thicken the sauce.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: you can substitute with boneless skinless chicken breast, but you’ll need to cut them in half to create thinner chicken cutlets. Those instructions are included in the recipe variations below.
- Vegetable oil: to pan fry the chicken and sauté the blackberries and veggies for the sauce. Canola oil is another good option. Olive oil will work, but I like a neutral-flavored oil with a higher smoke point here.
- Sweet onion: finely diced so that it softens and blends right into the sauce.
- Rosemary: fresh herbs pair so nicely with the chicken, giving the sauce a lovely savory flavor. Rosemary is my top choice, but I also like to throw in some fresh thyme or basil when I have it available.
- Apple cider vinegar: an acidic component that brightens up the sweet blackberry glaze.
- Fresh lemon juice: another acidic component that brightens the sauce and brings out the fresh blackberry flavor. If you don’t have a lemon, you can substitute with an extra 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
- Dijon mustard: adds a bit of savory tang, and also thickens and emulsifies the sauce.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
How to Make Blackberry Chicken
This one-pan chicken blackberry is a fresh, flavorful, and easy summer meal. I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Macerate the blackberries in the brown sugar. This helps draw out some of the juices and soften the berries.
- Cook the chicken thighs in a skillet, and then remove to a plate and tent with foil.
- Simmer the blackberry sauce in the same pan.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon the blackberry mixture over top, and serve!
Serving Suggestions
Pair the chicken and blackberry sauce with any of these easy sides:
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon, or Drop Biscuits
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Broccoli Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Corn Sticks, or Honey Cornbread
- Duke’s Homemade Mac and Cheese, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Hush Puppies
- Hoe Cakes
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Virginia Spoon Bread
- Corn Salad, Jiffy Corn Casserole, or Fried Corn
- Cheese Grits or Pimento Cheese Grits Casserole
- Charleston Red Rice, Rice Pilaf, Parmesan Risotto, or No-Stir Easy Mushroom Risotto
- French Baguette, Soft Dinner Rolls, or a crusty loaf of No-Knead Bread
- Homemade Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Tomato Salad with Basil and Balsamic or Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Easy Pasta Salad with Mayo, Lemon, and Basil
- Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives or Garlic and Parmesan Cauliflower Mash
- Potato Pancakes or Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Zucchini Gratin with Corn, Zucchini Fritters, or Sauteed Zucchini
- Refrigerator Dill Pickles
- Roasted Cabbage or Braised Red Cabbage
- Amish Green Beans with Brown Butter, Roasted Green Beans, or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli, Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, or Broccoli and Cheese
- Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Caesar Salad, Wedge Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or Caesar Salad
- Creamed Peas
- Sauteed Spinach or Creamed Spinach
- Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots
- Roasted Asparagus
Preparation and Storage Tips
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be aware that the blackberry sauce will likely have a thinner, more watery texture when thawed.
Recipe Variations
- Blackberry Chicken Breast: use boneless skinless chicken breast instead of the chicken thighs. To do so, cut each large chicken breast in half lengthwise to create two smaller cutlets. Pound the chicken cutlets flat to an even thickness. This will help them cook evenly and will prevent them from drying out. Cook the chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side, until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Use the same fresh blackberry sauce with grilled chicken thighs.
- Use frozen blackberries when necessary.
- Substitute balsamic vinegar for the apple cider vinegar. A splash of soy sauce would also give the sauce some nice salty, umami flavor.
- Make a similar sauce using blueberries or strawberries. Fresh basil would be a great addition, and so would some lemon zest for extra citrus flavor.
- Instead of chicken thighs, serve the sauce with pan-fried pork chops.
- Double all of the ingredients to feed a larger family. You’ll likely need to cook the chicken in two separate batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- If you don’t have a lemon, you can add an extra tablespoon of apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice.
Tips for the Best Blackberry Chicken recipe
- To cut down on prep time, chop and assemble all of the sauce ingredients while the chicken thighs are browning.
- Add extra fresh herbs if they’re available. Rosemary is a must, but I also love to throw in some fresh thyme or fresh basil when I’ve got them in the garden!
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken. I always recommend using a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken. It’s done perfectly when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning the chicken. Instead, work in batches (if necessary) so that the chicken can develop a nice sear on the outside. Otherwise you risk steaming the chicken, missing out on that great color, flavor, and texture.
What can I do with fresh picked blackberries?
Farmhouse Blackberry Muffins
29 minutes mins
Blackberry Jam {With or Without Pectin}
12 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
Blackberry Cobbler
55 minutes mins
One-Skillet Blackberry Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh blackberries (about 8 ounces)
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Juice from ½ of a lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Optional garnish: additional chopped fresh rosemary or other fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, or basil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the blackberries and brown sugar; set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan and swirl it around to coat.
- Pat chicken dry; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken to the pan; cook for about 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden brown. The meat should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken from the skillet; set aside on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Do not clean out the skillet; add another 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and rosemary; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the blackberries and brown sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the blackberries soften and the sauce starts to thicken. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you stir the sauce frequently.
- Return the chicken to the skillet; heat just until warm, spooning the sauce over the meat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
Notes
- To cut down on prep time, chop and assemble all of the sauce ingredients while the chicken thighs are browning.
- Add extra fresh herbs if they’re available. Rosemary is a must, but I also love to throw in some fresh thyme or fresh basil when I’ve got them in the garden!
- The total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken. I always recommend using a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken. It’s done perfectly when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when browning the chicken. Instead, work in batches (if necessary) so that the chicken can develop a nice sear on the outside. Otherwise you risk steaming the chicken, missing out on that great color, flavor, and texture.
Substituted raspberry vinegar for the apple cider, and scallions for the onion. One of the tastiest meals we’d eaten in a while!
Thank you so, Jennifer! We’re so glad you were able to make it work for you and enjoyed it!