This chicken with cherries is pure comfort food with a summery twist. You get crispy, golden chicken thighs and a sweet-tangy cherry sauce thatโs rich, juicy, and full of flavor.
Ingredients: 7 | Prep Time: 40 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
This cherry chicken comes together in one pan - sear the chicken, toss in the cherries and onions, and let the oven do the rest. Itโs simple, seasonal, and honestly, one of the tastiest chicken dinners Iโve made.
Check out more chicken and fruit combinations like the Rhubarb Chicken, Apricot Chicken, or Chicken with Apples.
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Recipe ingredients
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs โ 2 per person. If you wish, you can also use a mixture of chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks. Try more of our favorite crispy chicken recipes: Harissa Chicken Thighs and Teriyaki Chicken Thighs.
Fresh sweet cherries: If fresh cherries arenโt in season, you can use frozen cherries instead. Just make sure to thaw them first and drain off any extra liquid so the dish doesnโt get too watery. They wonโt have the same firm texture as fresh cherries, but they still work well and taste great.
- If you have more cherries, make Roasted Cherries for dessert or a Cherry Loaf Cake.
Red onions: You can also use shallots; they are a great fit, too.
Other ingredients: Garlic, balsamic vinegar, honey, and thyme. You can replace the fresh thyme with other fresh herbs like rosemary or oregano. You can also use dried thyme as an alternative.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make chicken with cherries?
Step #1: Trim excess fat from the underside of the chicken thighs. Season the thighs.
Step #2: Pit the cherries, slice the garlic, and cut the red onions through the root.
Step #3: Sear the chicken skin-side down in a hot skillet for 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pan.
Step #4: Add onions to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes per side until slightly browned.
Step #5: Mix cherries with garlic and herbs. In a separate bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
Step #6: Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the cherry mixture around the chicken. Spoon the balsamic dressing over the cherries (not on the chicken).
Step #7: Roast in a preheated oven for 30โ35 minutes, until cooked through.
One-pan, crisp-skin method
For extra crispy skin, use a hot, oven-safe skillet and start with dry chicken thighs, skin-side down. Sear them without moving for a few minutes to let the skin brown and crisp up. Then flip and briefly sear the other side.
This method, going straight from stovetop to oven in one pan, locks in flavor and keeps cleanup easy.
Storage
Let the cherry chicken cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven until warmed through. The sauce may thicken in the fridge - just add a splash of water or stock when reheating if needed.
What to serve with it?
As you can see in the pictures, we had the cherry chicken with plain bulgur cooked in vegetable broth - it was great! You can also have it with:
Do you like this recipe?
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Crispy Chicken with Cherries
Equipment
- 1 Large cast-iron skillet or a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan, oven safe, Note 1
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 2.5 lbs/ 1.2 kg
- 1.2 lb cherries Note 2
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 red onions
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2-3 sprigs thyme Note 3
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pit the cherries and place them in a large bowl.1.2 lb cherries
- Chicken: Remove the floppy, excess fat from the underside of the thighs. Dry them well, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper on both sides.fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Prepare the vegetables: While the chicken sears, peel the onions and cut them into thick slices, ensuring to keep the root intact to prevent them from falling apart. Thinly slice the garlic cloves and finely chop the fresh herbs.3 red onions + 3 garlic cloves + 2-3 sprigs thyme
- Sear the chicken: Heat the oil in the skillet. Add the chicken parts skin-side down, and sear them for 5 minutes; the skin should release easily from the pan, and it should be golden. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Cook onions: Remove the excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons behind. Add the onions to the skillet and cook them for 2 minutes per side.
- Cherry mixture: While the onions cook, mix cherries with olive oil, garlic, and herbs. In a separate bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.cherries + 1 tablespoon olive oil + garlic + herbs2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar + 1 tablespoon honey + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Assemble the dish: Return the chicken thighs to the skillet and arrange the cherry mixture around them. Spoon the balsamic-honey mixture over the cherries, avoiding the chicken to keep the skin crispy.
- Roast the cherry chicken in the preheated oven for 30โ35 minutes, or until cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 74ยฐC/165ยฐF. Alternatively, cut into the underside near the boneโthe meat should be white, not pink or red.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes and serve.
Notes
- Pan: If you donโt have an oven-safe pan, cook the chicken and onions on the stovetop in a regular pan, then transfer everything to a roasting pan before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Cherries: You'll need about 1 lb (450 g) of pitted cherries for the recipe; a bit more or less is ok.
- Herbs: You can use fresh rosemary or oregano instead, or substitute with about 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
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