• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Meatloaf and Melodrama logo
  • Home
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
    • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
      • Collaborate
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Meals » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Easy Baked Cranberry Chicken

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Oct 20, 2021 by Dee

    Easy Baked Cranberry Chicken is a 4 ingredient recipe with chicken breasts, dry onion soup mix, cranberry sauce and Catalina dressing. Perfect for busy weeknights and a delicious dinner the whole family will love! via @meamel

    Easy Baked Cranberry Chicken is a 4 ingredient recipe with chicken breasts, dry onion soup mix, cranberry sauce and Catalina dressing. Perfect for busy weeknights and a delicious dinner the whole family will love!

    Jump to Recipe -
    baked cranberry chicken breast with catalina dressing and whole berries on a plate with green beans and mashed potatoes
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Baked Cranberry Chicken
    • Cooking Time
    • Variations
    • How to Store
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    This baked cranberry chicken recipe is one of the easiest chicken recipes you'll ever make. It's sometimes called Catalina chicken or Catalina dressing chicken because you make the sauce with Catalina salad dressing. It's a super simple recipe that has been around a long time!

    This delicious chicken dinner comes together easily so it's simple to throw together after a busy day. And it's made with pantry staples, so you can stock up on the ingredients and have dinner on the table in no time.

    My family absolutely loves this easy chicken recipe! And, even my pickiest eater has no complaints when cranberry chicken is on the menu. The chicken is tender, flavorful and covered in the most delicious tangy cranberry sauce.

    Serve this easy dinner with Instant Pot mashed potatoes, microwave green beans, dinner rolls, and be prepared for plenty of compliments to the chef!

    Ingredients

    You only need 4 ingredients to make this Catalina dressing chicken recipe. If you don't already have the ingredients for Cranberry chicken, you can find them in your local grocery stores:

    • Boneless skinless chicken breasts -- I use either 4 or 6 thin chicken breasts
    • Dry onion soup mix -- I use Lipton onion soup, but any brand is fine
    • Whole berry cranberry sauce -- Use jellied cranberry sauce if you can't find whole-berry sauce
    • Catalina salad dressing -- Use Russian of French dressing if you can't find Catalina salad dressing

    Note -- As written, this chicken bake does contain a fair amount of sodium. To cut down on sodium, use 2 tablespoons of dry minced onions, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper in place of the dry soup mix!

    I often use this homemade onion seasoning. But, it's nice to have the ingredients ready to go when you're in a hurry!

    boneless chicken breasts, dry onion soup mix, cranberry sauce and catalina salad dressing on the table

    How to Make Baked Cranberry Chicken

    First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. You can cook at a higher temperature, but I like to bake chicken dishes like this at 350 because it keeps the chicken nice and juicy. Nobody likes dry chicken!

    Then, spray a baking dish or casserole dish with cooking spray or pour a little olive oil in the dish.

    Place chicken into the prepared baking dish. Set the pan aside while you make the sauce.

    Pour the dry onion soup mix in a medium bowl. I like to sprinkle some of the dry soup mix over the chicken breasts, as well.

    But, you don't have to do this. You can mix everything together in the mixing bowl if you like.

    mix cranberry sauce and onion soup mix in small bowl

    Next, add the whole berry cranberry sauce to the bowl. Mix the ingredients together until the sauce is well blended.

    Then, pour the cranberry mixture over the chicken breasts. Pour sauce around the whole dish so that the chicken is fully covered with the mixture.

    Use a spoon or spatula to spread the sauce evenly over the chicken.

    pour cranberry sauce over chicken breasts in baking pan

    Cooking Time

    Place the baking dish into the preheated oven. You don't need to cover the dish with aluminum foil. Some recipes call for this, but you're baking at medium heat, and leaving the dish uncovered allows the sauce to reduce and thicken up as it bakes.

    Bake the chicken for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees or slightly above, according to a meat thermometer.

    The Catalina chicken bake takes just 30 minutes in my oven, but every oven is different. So, the total cook time may vary. Just remember to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness!

    When the temperature is 165, dinner is done and ready to serve!

    Spoon the delicious sauce over the chicken when serving. This recipe makes plenty of sauce, and it is seriously so good that you may want to make extra mashed potatoes or rice to absorb the all of the incredible sauce!

    cranberry catalina chicken in baking dish

    Variations

    This easy dinner recipe is very versatile, and there are many easy ways to change the cranberry glaze to suit your own tastes. Sometimes, I like to add a tablespoon of orange marmalade or a little orange zest when baking.

    You can also make your own cranberry sauce using fresh cranberries if you don't want to use a can.

    If you don't want to use your oven, you can make Instant Pot cranberry chicken! Or, cook the chicken and sauce in your Crock Pot or slow cooker for 3 to 4 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low.

    To offset the flavor of the tart cranberries, you can add a bit of brown sugar to the sauce.

    Make cranberry chicken thighs using chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts if you prefer dark meat.

    Or use turkey cutlets instead of chicken. This is the perfect way to enjoy a simple Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving dinner.

    How to Store

    Store leftover baked cranberry chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It reheats well in the oven or in the microwave, especially if you use the reheat setting.

    For longer storage, freeze the chicken and sauce in a freezer safe container.

    Do you like to prepare meals ahead of time? You can also freeze the uncooked chicken and sauce mixture in zip top freezer bags. This saucy chicken dish is really perfect for meal prep!

    When you're ready to cook the cranberry chicken, thaw in the fridge, dump the contents into a baking dish, and bake!

    Recipe

    baked cranberry chicken with whole berries, green beans and mashed potatoes on plate

    Baked Cranberry Chicken

    Published by Dee
    Easy Baked Cranberry Chicken is a 4 ingredient recipe with chicken breasts, dry onion soup mix, cranberry sauce and Catalina dressing. Perfect for busy weeknights and a delicious dinner the whole family will love!
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 385 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 small chicken breasts
    • 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
    • 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
    • 1 cup Catalina salad dressing

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°f
    • Spray a baking dish with non stick cooking spray
    • Place the chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle some of the dry soup mix over the chicken
    • In a medium bowl, mix the cranberry sauce and the Catalina dressing together. Stir in the remaining soup mix, and mix until well combined
    • Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, and spread evenly over chicken so that the chicken is completely covered
    • Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165° according to meat thermometer

    Notes

    Use jellied cranberry sauce if you can't find whole berry sauce.
    You can use 2 tablespoons dry minced onions, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon pepper in place of the dry soup mix.
    Use French or Russian salad dressing in place of Catalina, if desired.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 25gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 937mgPotassium: 486mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 67IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

    I hope you enjoy this easy cranberry chicken dinner as much as my family does! It really is a family favorite in our house.

    If you enjoy chicken bakes with sauce, try my Honey Mustard Curry Chicken, Enchilada chicken bake or Salsa verde chicken bake!

    For more easy chicken recipes and easy meal ideas, be sure to sign up for the weekly newsletter.

    Or, follow me on social media to stay up to date with the latest recipes fresh out of the kitchen!

    If you like this recipe, please leave a star rating and tell me about it in the comment section!

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet

    More Main Dish Dinner Recipes

    • Steak Quesadilla Recipe
    • Baked Reuben Casserole Recipe
    • Taco Tater Tot Casserole
    • Baked Pierogi Casserole Recipe

    You May Also Like

    instant pot cranberry chicken breasts on a white platter
    Instant Pot Cranberry Chicken
    homemade ranch dressing in a glass jar with parsley and chives
    Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing
    homemade buttermilk ranch dressing in a jar with raw veggies
    Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Review Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Sandra says

      November 01, 2021 at 4:23 am

      This is really good and delicious!! Everyone loved it!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Matt says

      October 31, 2021 at 3:46 pm

      This was great! Something like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner without all of the hassle. Kids loved the cranberries too! A new favorite!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Trista says

      October 31, 2021 at 7:21 am

      This Cranberry Chicken was such an awesome meal!5 stars

      Reply
    4. Mandi says

      October 30, 2021 at 3:13 pm

      I love this flavor with chicken. They go so well together!5 stars

      Reply
    5. Michelle says

      October 30, 2021 at 3:22 am

      Mom used to make this chicken! I lost the recipe, so I'm glad I found yours. Loved it!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Deb says

      October 29, 2021 at 9:07 am

      Oh I love this flavor combo!!!! So delicious!5 stars

      Reply
    7. Beth says

      October 28, 2021 at 3:51 pm

      This was extra tasty. I love recipes like this that are full of flavor but don't make me stay in the kitchen for hours!5 stars

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Baked Breaded Pork Chops
    • Best Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe
    • Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
    • Grandma's Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe
    • Maple Brown Sugar Overnight Oats
    • How to Cook Ramen Noodles in the Microwave
    • Easy Chicken Stuffing Bake

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • All About Dee
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As Seen On

    as seen on buzzfeed delish country living forbes southern living

    Copyright © 2023 Meatloaf and Melodrama