Cranberry Balsamic Chicken Skillet — EASY, hearty, HEALTHY, one-skillet dish that’s ready in 20 minutes!! Juicy chicken, crisp-tender Brussels sprouts, chewy cranberries and crunchy pumpkin seeds!
Easy One-Pan Balsamic Chicken Recipe
Just say the word balsamic and I’m in. How I love thee.
Especially with Brussels sprouts, which are my favorite vegetable. Or tied with broccoli, I can’t decide.
The crevices of the Brussels sprouts soak up the balsamic vinegar and honey sauce beautifully and it keeps the chicken perfectly juicy and moist. It’s an easy, one-skillet meal that’s ready in 20 minutes!
I added sun-dried tomatoes and dried cranberries for chewiness and extra tart-and-tangy flavor. Pumpkin seeds add crunch.
Chewy, crunchy, with the crisp-tender sprouts. I can’t even. It’s a perfect fall recipe that’s warm, comforting, and hearty while still being healthy.
You won’t have to bribe anyone to eat their Brussels sprouts when they’re prepared this way. Promise.
What’s in the Cranberry Balsamic Chicken Skillet?
For this cranberry, chicken and Brussels sprouts recipe, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Brussels sprouts
- Chicken breasts
- Shallot
- Balsamic vinegar
- Honey
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Dried cranberries
- Roasted pumpkin seeds
How to Make the Cranberry Balsamic Chicken Skillet
This loaded balsamic vinaigrette chicken skillet couldn’t be simpler to make!
Add some oil to a large skillet, then throw in the halved Brussels sprouts in an even layer. Cook the sprouts until they’re browned, then push to the side of the skillet.
To the other side of the skillet, add the diced chicken. From here, it’s just a matter of cooking the chicken until done, then adding the balsamic sauce for the chicken.
Sprinkle with the sun-dried tomatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds and dig in!
Can the Brussels Sprouts Be Substituted?
Not a fan of chicken and Brussels sprouts? No problem! I bet broccoli would be a good substitute here.
Can I Use Shaved Brussels Sprouts?
No, you must use fresh sprouts that have been cut in half. Shaved sprouts would burn too quickly.
Tips for Making Cranberry Balsamic Chicken
For an extra punch of balsamic flavor, drizzle the finished chicken skillet with balsamic glaze. It’s sold at every major grocery store and is great for adding concentrated balsamic flavor to dishes.
You can use regular roasted pumpkin seeds or candied pumpkin seeds in this dish. I used seasonally-available candied pumpkin spice pumpkin seeds from Trader Joe’s.
This is basically a meal in itself, but you’re welcome to serve the chicken with a side salad or atop rice to stretch it further.
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Balsamic Chicken, Brussels Sprouts, Cranberries and Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided; plus more if necessary
- about 15 to 20 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- about 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large shallot, peeled and diced small
- salt and pepper, for seasoning to taste
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, dry, not oil-packed
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup candied or roasted pumpkin seeds, I used seasonally-available candied pumpkin spice pumpkin seeds from TJ’s
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, Brussels spouts with the cut side down, and cook over medium-high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until seared and lightly golden brown.
- Turn sprouts over and move them to one side of the pan. It’s okay if you have to pile them on top of each other.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus more if necessary) on bare side of the pan and add the chicken, shallots, season everything with salt and pepper and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is 80 to 90% cooked through; stir and flip the chicken intermittently.
- Evenly drizzle the balsamic vinegar, honey, and stir to combine.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sprouts are crisp-tender.
- Evenly sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and stir to combine. Serve immediately. Dish is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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great
Hello:). This recipe looks amazing however my husband will not eat Brussel sprouts lol. What would a good substitute be? Thanks!
Broccoli would be nice here.
Made this last night….so yummy! I used chopped dried onions so my kid would eat it. The cranberries really give it a good flavor. Healthy, quick and kid approved…trifecta!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad your kids approved of this one!
Made this last night….so yummy! I used chopped dried onions so my kid would eat it. The cranberries really give it a good flavor. Healthy, quick and kid approved…trifecta!
This was delicious and is like a warm vegetable salad with chicken. I love all the chewiness from the dried fruit and the crunch of the pumpkin seeds and I think it will be a favorite for fall! I also like anything balsamic and it goes so well with brussels.
Glad you enjoyed this one and yes a warm vegetable salad is about right. The chewiness and texture from the add-ins was one of my favorite parts of this too!
Just made this for my husband and myself and it was delicious! Make sure that you follow the timing on
the chicken – I did not and the chicken was a bit dry – but no worries I simply increased the yummy
sauce and it worked like magic ( I increased it by 1/4 of a cup) – I did blacken the brussels more and am
so glad that I did! Again many thanks for sharing!
PS – I too, am a Me-Me with a new grandson and I making this for our daughter and son-in-law – I will have
to forego on the shallots as she is breastfeeding and is concerned that it may hurt his tummy a bit but
other than that it will be a great dinner for possibly two nights!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! I love my sprouts BLACK but for photography, I figured I’d back off a little :) So nice of you to cook for your nursing daughter, too!
You got an awesome sear on those sprouts! That’s where all the flavor’s at :) Need to give these flavors a try next time. They look tasty!
The sear is where it’s at and if I wasn’t making this partially for the camera, I’d have blackened them way more :)
thank you!
do you freeze this after it’s baked or before? our daughter and son-in-law just adopted a new-born baby (it was a very last minute decision by the birth mom!) and they need some freezer meals for the many days when they can’t think straight – thanks :)
Make, then freeze.
Could I substitute shaved Brussels sprouts from traders and chicken thighs cut up instead of breasts?
I wouldn’t do the shaved brussels, they’ll get lost in the dish. Thighs rather than breasts, and making any necessary cooking time changes if warranted, would be fine I think.
This recipe looks amazing and I’m going to make it this season for sure! I love Brussel sprouts and I’m super excited to see them back in my market… Seasonal produce is the best!
xx,
E.
http://www.theslowpace.com
As I’m a new convert to brussels sprouts…this looks like pure heaven to me!!
Loooooved these. This, a cheese board, and drinks…and I’m very happy! :)
Brussels is in my top 3 favorite veggies…. and I love that you’ve made them into a meal instead of a side! So many great fall flavors in this dish!!
Brussels are totally a meal! The chicken and everything else is just the side dish :)
I’m so with you on balsamic…it gives you that salty taste without the bloating side effects of salt. and I haven’t had any brussel sprouts yet this year but I am so ready. Great recipe.
I eat sprouts all year long but especially crave them in the fall and winter. And I am so salt-sensitive that if I’m not careful I blow up like a puffy balloon for days from too much salt!
This looks incredible! Perfect fall recipe!!
I know what I am making in a few days!! I haven’t had Brussels sprouts in a while and this looks fantastic, especially with dried cranberries and tomatoes.
I eat brussels sprouts all year long but especially crave them at this time of year! I hope you like this dish as much as we did! LMK how it goes!