What Makes This Recipe So Good
There comes a point in every Whole30 when the thought of more bacon, more sweet potatoes, more savory food is enough to put you off eating entirely. It’s the hardest point for me, when I realize I’d rather not eat at all than eat more chicken-apple sausage. Just enough with the chicken-apple sausage. But still, I push through it until day 30, opting for a sweet potato breakfast bowl instead of fried eggs the next morning, dipping an apple in almond butter as part of my lunch, sifting through the internet’s Whole30 dinner recipes offerings, looking for something that doesn’t feel so Whole30. When that point rolled around during our first round, I made 5-ingredient Whole30 chicken thighs with raspberry-balsamic sauce. When we hit that wall in our summer round, I made Whole30 strawberry basil chicken with avocado. When I couldn’t bear the thought of another egg yolk on our second Whole30, I created my very favorite Whole30 sweet potato apple breakfast bake. And when that point rolls around this January? This Whole30 cranberry chicken is perfection.
Why You’ll Love It
The fresh cranberries in this recipe are grounded by coconut aminos, taming their brightness with a natural sweetness that mutes the tartness just a bit. Simple yet extremely flavorful, this Whole30 cranberry chicken is quick and easy yet elegant; it doesn’t feel or look like it’s healthy! The recipe starts with my perfect chicken thighs: seared until golden on top then finished in the oven until they’re juicy and tender with deliciously crunchy skin. They’re roasted with fresh cranberries that char just a bit to be soft and striking, then you infuse a pan sauce with more cranberries, shallot, fresh thyme. So keep this Whole30 cranberry chicken in mind the next time you’ve hit that savory wall on a round; it’s fruity and naturally sweet enough to keep you on track without swaying from the guidelines at all. It’s quick and easy, making this Whole30 cranberry chicken just perfect for your rotation.
