Ah, the holiday season—a time when the kitchen transforms into a bustling hub of activity, and aromas swirl like a comforting hug. This Cranberry Chicken recipe is the perfect marriage of tangy berries and tender meat, bringing a festive flair to your dinner table. Imagine the delight on everyone’s faces as the vibrant colors and flavors of this dish steal the show, eclipsing even the most impressive of holiday lights.
Steps
- Whipped Feta with Cranberries & Walnuts: Blend feta until smooth and creamy, adding water gradually if needed. Stir in chopped walnuts for texture and top with cranberry sauce. Serve as a dip for gatherings.
- Cranberry Nut Bread: Mix fresh cranberries and walnuts into your bread batter. Bake until golden and drizzle with optional orange glaze for extra sweetness. Slice and serve as a snack or with coffee.
- Cranberry-Orange Energy Balls: Combine cranberries, oats, almond butter, and citrus zest into a sticky mixture. Roll into bite-sized balls and refrigerate. Perfect for a quick energy boost.
- Cranberry-Lemon Cheesecake Bars: Prepare a cheesecake mixture and fold in lemon zest and cranberries. Bake until set and cool before slicing into bars. Ideal for a festive treat.
- Buttermilk Cranberry Pie with Gingersnap Crust: Create a gingersnap crust and fill it with a creamy buttermilk custard. Swirl in cranberry sauce before baking. Serve as a holiday dessert.
- Apple Crisp with Cranberries: Layer sliced apples and cranberries with a crumbly topping. Bake until bubbly and golden. Enjoy warm, possibly with ice cream.
- Cranberry-Almond Energy Balls: Mix cranberries, almonds, oats, and dates with maple syrup and tahini. Form into balls and refrigerate. These make a quick snack option.
- Cranberry-Balsamic Chicken Thighs: Sear chicken thighs and glaze with a cranberry-balsamic reduction. Serve with farro and steamed broccoli for a complete meal.
- Kale Salad with Cranberries: Massage kale with a citrus dressing until tender. Toss in cranberries and any preferred nuts. Serve as a refreshing side dish.
- The Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce: Simmer cranberries with sugar, water, and orange peel until thickened. Cool and serve as a tangy side for meats.
- Cranberry-Prosecco Cocktail: Mix cranberry juice with prosecco and garnish with cranberries. Serve chilled for a festive drink.
- 3-Ingredient Cranberry-Brie Bites: Place Brie and cranberry sauce in pie crusts and bake. Serve warm as an appetizer.
- Apple-Cranberry Stuffing: Combine cubed bread, apples, cranberries, and herbs. Bake until golden for a flavorful holiday side.
- Cranberry-Apple Smoothie: Blend apples, cranberries, and yogurt for a fiber-rich drink. Serve chilled for a refreshing beverage.
- Cranberry Salad: Mix cranberries with oranges, walnuts, celery, and apples. Dress lightly and serve as a colorful side.
- Cranberry-Brie Bites with Puff Pastry: Wrap Brie and cranberry sauce in puff pastry. Bake until golden and serve warm.
- Cranberry-Walnut Chickpea Salad: Combine chickpeas, cranberries, walnuts, and celery. Serve over greens or in sandwiches.
- Cranberry-Almond Broccoli Salad: Toss broccoli with cranberries, almonds, and a light dressing. Allow flavors to meld before serving.
- Cranberry Buttermilk Pie: Pour a custardy buttermilk filling into a pie crust, top with cranberries, and bake. Serve as a creamy dessert.
- Cranberry-Orange Punch: Mix cranberry juice and orange slices for a fruity punch. Serve chilled as a party mocktail.
- Lemon-Cranberry Muffins: Fold cranberries into a lemony muffin batter. Bake and top with sugared lemon zest. Enjoy fresh or store for later.
- Roasted Cranberry, Squash & Cauliflower Salad: Roast squash and cauliflower, then toss with cranberries. Serve warm or cold.
- Cranberry Cheesecake Bars: Swirl cranberry sauce into a cheesecake batter on an oat crust. Bake and cut into bars for serving.
- Jalapeno-Cranberry Relish: Combine cranberries with jalapeño and lime for a spicy twist. Serve with turkey or as a sandwich spread.
Ingredients
- Feta cheese
- Cranberry sauce
- Walnuts (or pecans/pistachios as alternatives)
- Fresh cranberries
- Walnuts
- Optional orange glaze
- Orange Energy Balls
- Cranberries
- Almond butter (or any nut butter)
- Orange flavoring
- Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Cranberries
- Lemon flavoring
- Buttermilk
- Cranberries
- Gingersnap crust
- Cranberries
- Apples
- Dried fruits
- Almond Energy Balls
- Cranberries
- Almonds
- Oats
- Dates
- Maple syrup
- Tahini
- Balsamic Chicken Thighs
- Chicken thighs
- Cranberries
- Balsamic vinegar
- Farro (optional)
- Broccoli (optional)
- Kale
- Cranberries
- Sweet citrus dressing
- Cranberries
- Orange peel
- Sugar
- Prosecco Cocktail
- Cranberry juice
- Prosecco or sparkling wine
- Cranberries (for garnish)
- Rosemary sprigs (for garnish)
- Ingredient Cranberry-Brie Bites
- Brie cheese
- Cranberry sauce
- Premade pie crust
- Cranberry Stuffing
- Apples (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady)
- Cranberries
- Apple Smoothie
- Apples
- Cranberries
- Cranberries
- Oranges
- Walnuts
- Celery
- Apples
- Brie Bites with Puff Pastry
- Brie cheese
- Cranberry sauce
- Puff pastry
- Walnut Chickpea Salad
- Chickpeas
- Cranberries
- Walnuts
- Celery
- Almond Broccoli Salad
- Broccoli
- Dried cranberries
- Canola mayonnaise
- Greek yogurt
- Center-cut bacon
- Buttermilk
- Cranberries
- Orange Punch
- Cranberries
- Orange flavoring
- Cranberry Muffins
- Cranberries
- Lemon zest
- Cornmeal
- Cranberries
- Butternut squash
- Cauliflower
- Cranberries
- Oat crust
- Cranberry-orange sauce
- Cranberry Relish
- Cranberries
- Jalapeño
- Lime
FAQ
- Can I use different nuts in the Whipped Feta with Cranberries & Walnuts recipe?
- Absolutely! If you don’t have walnuts on hand or prefer a different flavor, you can substitute them with pecans or pistachios to add a unique twist to the dish.
- How can I make the cranberry nut bread sweeter?
- To enhance the sweetness of the cranberry nut bread, try drizzling it with an optional orange glaze before slicing. This will also add a delightful citrusy flavor.
- What can I use instead of almond butter in the Cranberry-Orange Energy Balls?
- If you’re not a fan of almond butter, any nut butter can be used in its place. Peanut butter or cashew butter would both work well to bring out the nutty flavors.
- Can the Apple Crisp with Cranberries be made with different fruits?
- Yes, this versatile dessert can be made with a variety of fruits. In addition to cranberries, you can use pears, apples, berries, or even tropical fruits to suit your taste preferences and available ingredients.
- How do I keep the calories down in the Cranberry-Almond Broccoli Salad?
- To manage the calorie content, this recipe uses a mix of canola mayonnaise and Greek yogurt instead of a more traditional creamy dressing. Additionally, it incorporates center-cut bacon and swaps raisins for lower-sugar dried cranberries.
Tips
- Adjust the Consistency of Whipped Feta: If your whipped feta dip is too thick, try adding a teaspoon of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency. This will make it easier to serve and enjoy.
- Enhance Cranberry Nut Bread with Orange Glaze: Before serving your cranberry nut bread, consider drizzling it with an orange glaze. This will add a touch of sweetness and amplify the citrus flavor.
- Customize Energy Balls with Your Favorite Nut Butter: While almond butter gives a lovely subtle flavor to cranberry-orange energy balls, feel free to substitute it with any nut butter you prefer to suit your taste.
- Use Precut Squash for Roasted Cranberry Salad: To save time when preparing roasted cranberry, squash, and cauliflower salad, look for precut butternut squash in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. This will speed up your preparation process.
Equipment
- Food Processor – Useful for making energy balls, pie crusts, and other preparations.
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer – Helpful for whipped feta, cheesecake bars, and pie fillings.
- Baking Dish/Pie Pan – Necessary for baking cranberry nut bread, pies, and other baked goods.
- Blender – Essential for making smoothies and pureeing ingredients for sauces or dressings.
- Zester or Microplane – Useful for adding citrus zest to recipes like cranberry-orange energy balls and lemon-cranberry muffins.
- Tartlet Pan or Muffin Tin – Needed for making cranberry-Brie bites or muffins.
- Cocktail Shaker – Handy for mixing the cranberry-Prosecco cocktail or other beverages.
- Citrus Juicer – Useful for extracting juice from oranges and lemons for various recipes.
