Hoisin & Cranberry Roasted Chicken

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Cut each chicken breast in half on the diagonal to get 4 portions about equal in weight. (Two will be smaller but thicker, the other two larger but thinner.) Sprinkle the chicken with five-spice powder and salt. Place 3 tablespoons flour in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, skinned-side down, and cook until brown on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken, skinned-side up, to a baking sheet. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Return the pan to medium heat, add shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sherry and cranberries; cook until the sherry is reduced by about half and the cranberries are beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth; bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are very soft, about 3 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and 1/4 cup broth in a small bowl. Whisk the mixture into the sauce and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; whisk in hoisin sauce and brown sugar.
5. When the chicken is done, return the pan to medium heat, add the chicken, turn to coat with the sauce and reheat until the sauce is warm. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

Tips & Notes

• Notes: Chinese five-spice powder is a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns. Look for it in the spice section at the supermarket or with other Asian ingredients.
• Sherry is a fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don’t use “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets—it can be high in sodium. Instead, look for dry sherry with other fortified wines at your wine or liquor store.
• Tip: Hoisin is a brown, thick, spicy-sweet sauce made from soybeans and a mix of spices. Look for it in the Asian-foods section. We use Wei chuan hoisin, which has about 300 mg sodium per tablespoon.

Nutrition