This blueberry chicken combines sweet fruit with fennel and a touch of maple syrup for a flavourful baked chicken dish that is dairy-free and gluten free. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner for all the family!
Chicken recipes always work so well for family meals, and the rosemary chicken fillets and ginger chicken pilaf traybake are some of the most popular recipes here on the blog. Perhaps you would like to check them out for another dinner idea!
This chicken dish is a bit of a twist on more traditional recipes that use fruit, such as chicken with grapes or mango. We use blueberries that bubble down into a delicious sauce, and give a subtle sweetness without being overly sugary. I made this for my mum and she said she would have happily paid for, and enjoyed it, at a restaurant. I think that's a five star review!
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Why this recipe is so good
The perfect sweetness. Blueberries have a more subtle sweetness than other fruits, giving this sauce so much flavour but without being too sugary.
Enjoy all year. While blueberries are usually in most stores year-round, you can always use frozen blueberries if you can't get hold of fresh.
Versatile. Enjoy as a weeknight dinner, or serve with some more fancy sides for a special occasion with friends and family.
Ingredients
This chicken with blueberry sauce uses fresh poultry and fruit, as well as pantry staples. Some notes on a few of the ingredients (the full list and quantities is in the recipe card below):
- Chicken breasts - buy fresh, and to the size you prefer for each person. If they are on the larger size, then I tend to cut the chicken into smaller pieces.
- Blueberries - I tend to use fresh as they are nearly always available, but you can use frozen blueberries also. They may release a little extra liquid, so the sauce could be slightly thinner. Cook down for a few extra minutes if so.
- Fennel - this gives the sauce that delicious aniseed taste. If you aren't sure how to prepare it, then this tutorial on how to cut fennel should be helpful.
Variations to the recipe
I haven't tried it myself, but there's no reason that chicken thighs wouldn't be equally delicious for this recipe.
Have a sweet tooth? You can always add a touch more maple syrup to the sauce.
Step by step instructions
This is quite a simple recipe, and the blueberry sauce is very easy to make in a skillet. Then the oven does the work for you!
Step 1
After seasoning the chicken, fry in a little olive oil until light golden brown (you may need to do this in two batches if your skillet is on the smaller size). Once cooked through, remove from the skillet with tongs and set aside on a plate.
Step 2
Fry the onion and fennel in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. You may need to reduce the heat of the skillet if it was higher to fry the chicken (no need to clean the skillet beforehand).
Step 3, 4 & 5
3. Add the garlic, blueberries, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to the skillet.
4. Bring to a light simmer, and cook for around 10 minutes until the blueberries have broken down into around half liquid, with some whole ones remaining.
5. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof dish and then spoon the blueberry mixture over it. Give it a stir so the chicken is well coated with the sauce. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165F. Serve immediately with sides of your choice and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Yes definitely! Frozen blueberries can easily be used to make a blueberry sauce. They will likely release a little more liquid than fresh, so you may wish to cook the sauce down for a few minutes.
You can also use balsamic vinegar for this sauce. However, this wouldn't be suitable for my low histamine readers who may wish to either use white distilled vinegar or leave out vinegar completely from the sauce.
Rosemary would also be good!
Equipment needed
Skillet - to fry the chicken and make the blueberry sauce.
Ovenproof dish - to bake the chicken. You want one that is suitable for two chicken breasts (or more if you are increasing quantities).
Kitchen tongs - to remove the chicken from the skillet.
Meat thermometer - to check for an internal temperature of 165F for the chicken.
How to serve
This chicken dish can be served with a variety of sides. I suggest the following as tasty options:
- Sweet potato mash
- Potato cauliflower mash
- Rice or couscous
- Vegetables of your choice
More chicken recipes
There are lots of tasty ideas on my chicken recipes page, but some recent recipes for you to try out:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating if you tried the recipe!
Recipe
Blueberry chicken
Equipment
- Skillet
- Ovenproof dish
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut into smaller pieces, if required
- 1.5 cups blueberries
- ½ small white onion diced
- 1 small fennel diced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced or finely diced
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).
- Cut the chicken breasts into smaller pieces if required. Season with salt and pepper (if using). Add a tablespoon of olive oil to your skillet and fry the chicken each side until light golden brown (you may need to do this in two batches if your skillet is on the smaller size). About 10-12 minutes overall depending upon the size of the fillets. Set aside on a plate.
- Reduce the heat to low and, in the same skillet, fry the onion and fennel in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, blueberries, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer, and cook for around 10 minutes until the blueberries have broken down into around half liquid.
- Add your chicken to an ovenproof dish and then spoon the blueberry sauce over it. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165F.
Notes
- Cut the chicken breasts into smaller fillets if required.
- Heat the blueberry mixture until the berries break down and are around half dissolved into liquid. If needed, you can press on them with the back of a wooden spoon to help them along. Be careful though, they may spatter!
- Check the chicken has an internal temperature of 165F at its thickest point to ensure it is thoroughly cooked through.
- apple cider vinegar, which scores 1.
- garlic, which scores 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
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