This recipe for slow cooker cranberry chicken is a great family meal that can be made for a delicious dinner or made as a freezer to slow cooker meal! In this recipe chicken is slow cooked to perfection with fresh apples, cranberries and rosemary, leaving your home smelling amazing!
Nothing says easy family dinner to me like a slow cooker chicken meal. I’ve made plenty over the years, with a few of my favorites being:
- Honey mustard chicken – also made to go from freezer to slow cooker
- Salsa chicken and quinoa – a fun alternative to taco night!
- Greek chicken and vegetables – I love this recipe as a way to try Greek flavors not just on a salad
And this is the slow cooker I have and use on repeat. But yes, mine is in red!
What ingredients do you need for this slow cooker chicken recipe?
- Granny smith apple
- Onion
- Lemons
- Chicken breasts (or thighs)
- Cornstarch
- Honey
- Garlic salt or garlic cloves
- Rosemary sprigs
- Fresh cranberries or fresh frozen
- Salt
This recipe is perfect to throw in the slow cooker and enjoy the same day, but if you want to do some super simple meal prep, make this meal as a freezer meal. All you have to do is add all the recipe ingredients to a freezer-safe bag, lay it flat and freeze!
When it’s time to cook, just dump all of the ingredients from the freezer into the slow cooker.
How long does the chicken have to cook in the slow cooker?
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
What should I serve with this dish?
- I love this dish most served over rice. I prefer wild rice or Texmati, but cous cous would also be a good option.
If you don’t have chicken on hand, this slow cooker cranberry chicken recipe would also be great with pork tenderloin. Either option is a great way to make a hearty, healthy meal for your family.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large granny smith apple cut into slices
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1.25 lbs. chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 Tbs. cornstarch
- 2 Tbs. honey
- 1 tsp. garlic salt you can also use 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 rosemary sprigs you will use them whole
- 2 cups fresh cranberries fresh frozen is what I use
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, or to a freezer-safe bag if making into a freezer meal, lay flat, remove air, label and freeze.
- If making from freezer, let freezer bag thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When you're ready to cook, empty the bag into the slow cooker.
- Cooking instructions: cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours until chicken is cooked through and fork tender (your slow cooker might cook things slower/faster, slow cookers are surprisingly very different from each other).
- Serve over rice (wild rice or texmati). Alternatively, serve over cous cous.
Jess Fout says
Yay!! I have ALL these ingredients on hand — going to make a couple batches for the freezer tonight!
Thanks so much!
Sweetphi says
Yay, so excited to hear this, hope you love this one!!! I am making some for the freezer for upcoming baby freezer meal prep!