Cranberry Sauce Chicken

Cranberries are a good source of vitamin C, which studies show may have mood elevating effects!

• 6 chicken thighs/breasts
• 1 (16 ounce) can of whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle Russian dressing
• 1 packet dry French onion dip mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the cranberry sauce, salad dressing, and soup mix and mix well. Coat chicken pieces with this mixture. Cover dish and bake at 350 degrees. for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove cover for the last 15 minutes of baking time.

Are you feeling especially crafty? Make your own cranberry sauce with the directions below!

• One 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup water
• 1 tsp zest of medium orange
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Rinse and drain cranberries. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, honey, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped and the mixture has thickened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the orange juice, zest, and cinnamon.