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Sweet, savory, and enhanced with the flavors of bright orange zest and fresh herbs, this Crock Pot cranberry chicken is a cozy, easy dinner for chilly evenings.
Table of Contents
Cranberry is such a lovely sweet-tart companion for savory poultry like chicken and turkey. Add a side of stuffing or green bean casserole and you’ve got a simple, hearty meal that tastes like a Thanksgiving dinner! If you love these cozy slow cooker chicken dinners as much as we do, then be sure to try our Crock Pot chicken and noodles, Crock Pot chicken stew, Crock Pot chicken and dumplings, and Crock Pot chicken and stuffing.
Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce Chicken Recipe
There’s an old-fashioned baked cranberry chicken recipe that includes Ocean Spray cranberry sauce, a packet of onion soup mix seasoning, and French, Russian, or Catalina salad dressing. While this is a tasty dish, I wanted to create a meal for the slow cooker that had similar sweet-and-savory flavor, but without the bottled dressing and prepared seasoning packet.
The end result is this restaurant-quality Crock Pot cranberry chicken recipe that still utilizes the canned cranberry sauce, but includes other fresh ingredients for healthier, bolder flavor. It tastes sophisticated enough to serve to company, but it’s still just as easy as the original. The extra step of simmering the sauce on the stovetop requires a few extra minutes, but really concentrates the flavors and improves the texture of the sauce.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you’ll need for this easy cranberry chicken recipe. As always, specific measurements are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce: I use Ocean Spray brand for a shortcut, but homemade cranberry sauce is also wonderful (especially if you have leftovers in your fridge).
- Worcestershire sauce: for salty umami flavor. Soy sauce works, too!
- Apple cider vinegar: adds an acidic component to the sauce. You can sub with balsamic vinegar if you like.
- Grated fresh orange zest and orange juice: for bright flavor that complements the cranberries, balancing their tartness.
- Rosemary and thyme: fresh herbs are always my preference when available, but dried herbs also work fine.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: for savory flavor.
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs, since the dark meat tends to stay juicier in the slow cooker. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Cornstarch: combines with cold water to form a cornstarch slurry that thickens the sauce at the end.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other ingredients.
How to Make Cranberry Chicken in a Slow Cooker
This cranberry chicken crock pot recipe is about as simple as it gets! I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Season the chicken and add it to the pot.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 1-2 hours or on LOW for 2-4 hours.
- Remove the chicken to a serving platter.
- Simmer the sauce with the cornstarch slurry until it thickens slightly.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this cranberry chicken crock pot recipe with any of these delicious sides:
- Kale Apple Salad, Fall Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Caesar Salad, or House Salad with Candied Pecans
- Cathead Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Easy Drop Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, or Cheddar Biscuits with Chives and Bacon
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Southern Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Sweet Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Corn Sticks, Broccoli Cornbread, Honey Butter Cornbread, or Cornbread Muffins
- Broccoli Mac and Cheese, Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese, Duke’s Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, Stovetop Shells and Cheese, or No-Boil Easy Mac and Cheese
- Rice Pilaf
- Sausage Stuffing with Apples or Southern Cornbread Stuffing
- Crusty French Baguette, Soft Dinner Rolls, or Homemade Crescent Rolls
- Easy One-Bowl Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Muffins, Cranberry Orange Muffins, or Cranberry Bread
- Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, or 3-Ingredient Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Braised Cabbage with Apples and Onions, Fried Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
- Easy Green Bean Casserole, Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon, Southern-Style Green Beans, or Green Bean Casserole Bundles with Bacon
- Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
- Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
- Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables
- Southern Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Perfect Oven Roasted Asparagus or Sauteed Asparagus
- Brown Sugar Roasted Acorn Squash
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Cranberry Chicken Freezer Meal: Place the sauce ingredients and the raw chicken in a large Ziploc freezer bag. Freeze the “meal kit” until ready to use. Thaw the bag in the fridge overnight, and then proceed with cooking the chicken in the crockpot as instructed.
- Storage: Leftover cranberry chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- How to Reheat: Place cooked chicken and sauce in a baking dish. Cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350°F oven just until heated through, about 15 minutes. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken Recipe Variations
- Looking for an old-fashioned baked cranberry chicken recipe that includes a packet of dry onion soup mix seasoning and French dressing, Russian dressing, or Catalina dressing? You can find that easy recipe here.
- If you want to make this dish entirely from scratch, use homemade cranberry sauce in lieu of the canned sauce. You’ll need a total of about 1 ½ cups.
- Make it spicy by adding some cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- If you don’t want to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, that’s fine. Just simmer the sauce a little bit longer on the stovetop to thicken slightly, and serve. It will be thinner, but the flavor will still be good.
- Serving a larger group? Double all of the ingredients. The cooking instructions remain the same.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Chicken Recipe
- Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 1-2 hours. That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 1 hour or on LOW for about 2 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
- Simmer the sauce with cornstarch on the stovetop for a thicker consistency and more concentrated flavor. Yes, it’s an extra step — but it’s worth it (and it only takes a few minutes)!
- Garnish the finished dish with toasted chopped pecans or almonds for a crunchy addition. Fresh herbs are also great!
More Crock Pot Chicken Recipes
Chicken Corn Chowder {Crock Pot}
3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy
4 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Crock Pot Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken
2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Crock Pot Cranberry Chicken
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Sweet and savory, this Crock Pot cranberry chicken is a cozy, flavorful meal for chilly evenings.
Ingredients
- 1 (14 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce (I use Ocean Spray brand)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Zest and juice from 1 medium orange (about 1 tablespoon loosely-packed grated orange zest and about ¼ cup orange juice)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or sub with boneless skinless chicken breasts)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh herbs
Instructions
- In the bottom of a slow cooker, stir together the cranberry sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1-2 hours, or on LOW for 2-4 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and arrange on a serving platter. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm while you finish the sauce. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan; bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry, reduce the heat so that the mixture is at a simmer, and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Be careful not to overcook your chicken. I find that the chicken breast or thighs have the best texture when cooked in my slow cooker on HIGH for about 1-2 hours. That keeps them moist and juicy, and prevents them from drying out. The meat is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Also remember — every slow cooker runs at a slightly different temperature (which is why the recipe gives you general time ranges, rather than exact times). Since my slow cooker tends to cook at a relatively high temperature, the meal is best when cooked on HIGH for about 1 hour or on LOW for about 2 hours. Just get familiar with your pot and adjust accordingly.
- Simmer the sauce with cornstarch on the stovetop for a thicker consistency and more concentrated flavor. Yes, it’s an extra step — but it’s worth it (and it only takes a few minutes)!
- Garnish the finished dish with toasted chopped pecans or almonds for a crunchy addition. Fresh herbs are also great!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of the recipeCalories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 45gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 215mgSodium: 263mgPotassium: 627mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg
I have expired Worcestershire sauce. Should I use or omit?
Hi, Karen! If you have soy sauce, I would use that instead. Otherwise, it’s probably best to just omit the Worcestershire altogether. Add a bit of extra salt to taste, if necessary!
Can use chicken–w/skin & bone in?
Hi Lisa! It should work. You’ll just want to keep an eye on the chicken and adjust the cooking time as bone-in chicken takes a little longer.
Hi Blair. I can’t wait to try this recipe but, only use my crockpot for beans or stew, as it is too large and tends to cook too hot. Is it possible to cook this recipe in a Dutch oven?
I forgot to add that I have skin on, bone in thighs. Should I brown the thighs first before I place in the oven (that is, if you feel this recipe will work in a Dutch oven, lid on and cooked in the oven)?
Hi Gail! We haven’t tested it but think it would work. This article provides some helpful tips and adjustments when using a Dutch oven. Browning or searing the thighs would be a good idea. Hope this helps!