One-Skillet Cranberry Orange Glazed Chicken Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you turn on the heat, gather all your ingredients and measure them out. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels; any excess moisture on the skin will create steam and prevent it from getting beautifully crispy.

Zest and juice your oranges, measure out the whole cranberries, and have your fresh thyme sprigs ready to go. Having everything prepped next to the stove ensures a smooth, stress-free cooking process as the steps move quickly.

Instructions

Searing the Poultry

1. 1Sear the Chicken Thighs
   Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in a cold or preheated black cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear undisturbed for 8 to 10 minutes to render the fat and crisp the skin until it is deeply golden-brown. Flip and cook the other side for 4 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
   Look for The chicken skin should release easily from the pan when fully seared.
   Tip Pat the chicken skin completely dry with paper towels before cooking to guarantee a crispier skin.

At the end of this first phase, the chicken thighs should have a beautiful, deep golden-brown crust on the skin side.

The kitchen will fill with a rich, savory aroma of rendering fat, and you should hear a steady, active sizzle. The meat will not be cooked all the way through yet, but the exterior should look beautifully caramelized and set.

Reducing the Glaze

2. 2Create the Citrus Base
   Pour the fresh orange juice and orange zest into the hot skillet with the rendered chicken fat. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, incorporating them into the liquid as it begins to simmer.
   Look for The liquid will sizzle and begin to steam immediately.
   Tip Scraping the browned bits, or fond, adds incredible depth of flavor to the finished glaze.
3. 3Simmer and Burst the Cranberries
   Add the whole cranberries and fresh thyme sprigs to the bubbling citrus reduction. Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop open and release their juices, naturally thickening the mixture into a glossy, ruby-red glaze.
   Look for Look for the sauce to coat the back of a spoon.
   Tip Press down gently on a few cranberries with your spoon to help them release their natural juices and thickeners.

As the sauce simmers, you will hear the cranberries begin to pop open and release their deep red juices into the bubbling orange reduction. The sauce will transition from a thin, pale orange liquid into a thick, syrupy, ruby-red glaze. It should coat the back of a spoon easily and smell intensely bright, sweet, and herbaceous from the thyme.

Glazing and Simmering

4. 4Glaze and Finish Cooking
   Return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet, nesting them into the bubbling glaze. Spoon the thick cranberry orange glaze continuously over the chicken skin. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
   Look for The glaze should cling beautifully to the chicken skin.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip Keep spooning the glaze over the chicken as it finishes cooking to build a thick, glossy lacquer.

In this final phase, the glaze should cascade elegantly over the chicken, clinging to the crispy skin in a glossy, glistening layer. The sauce will bubble gently around the chicken thighs, which should be completely cooked through, tender, and glistening under the rich ruby-red coating.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is moving the chicken thighs around too much when they are first placed in the skillet. Let them sear undisturbed so the skin can develop a proper crust and release naturally from the pan.

Another mistake is rushing the reduction of the sauce; if you do not let the cranberries burst and the liquid reduce sufficiently, the glaze will be too runny and will slip right off the chicken instead of coating it.

How to tell it’s done

To ensure the chicken thighs are perfectly cooked and safe to eat, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, making sure not to touch the bone.

The internal temperature must reach at least 165°F (74°C). At this point, the juices should run clear when the meat is pierced, and the meat near the bone should no longer be pink.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part