Citrus Chicken Marinade with fresh cilantro, lime, and orange juice adds so much flavor to chicken! Bake the chicken in just 12 minutes or grill it in even less time.
author’s note
How To Win Dinner Without Trying Too Hard!
I’m obsessed with grilled chicken! It’s my go-to in the spring and summer, and I’ll even grill it in the fall and winter. It’s so easy to throw together a quick marinade during the day, and then dinner is pretty much ready when everyone’s home and hungry.
This citrus chicken has been a huge hit at my house. Every bite is packed with flavor! And the best part? The quick marinade does double duty. It flavors the chicken, the rice, and the beans. You’ll get a complete meal with minimal prep!
Citrus Marinade For Chicken
- Oranges: I use the zest and juice here!
- Limes: Again, zest and juice for maximum flavor.
- Cilantro: This herb adds a bright, citrusy freshness and flavor. Replace with flat-leaf Italian parsley if you aren’t a fan of cilantro.
- Soy sauce: I use lite soy sauce to control saltiness in this marinade. If you only have regular/all-purpose soy sauce, just reduce the amount of salt added.
- Honey: Balances the tangy flavors and adds some sweetness.
- Dijon mustard: A great flavor add and thickener; make sure to use Dijon, not yellow mustard.
- Minced garlic: Or use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Salt & pepper: Adjust this addition to personal preference and add until flavors “sing.”
- Olive oil: I add oil last and slowly drizzle it in while blending to get a nice emulsion.
How Long Can Chicken Marinate in Citrus?
Most marinades need hours, but this Citrus Chicken Marinade works in just 2–3 hours (4 max). Any longer and the chicken can dry out, since citrus can “cook” it like ceviche. Thighs handle longer marinades better than breasts.
Even 30 minutes is still effective. For faster prep, check out the tips below.
How To Cut Down On Prep Time
- To marinate the chicken faster, cut breasts in half horizontally or pierce thighs with a fork. This helps the marinade penetrate the meat more quickly.
- Use a microplane and citrus juicer to make the zesting and juicing a breeze!
- Though chicken shouldn’t marinate for over 4 hours, the marinade keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make it ahead to save time on cooking day.
Quick Tip
Marinate or marinade? Same idea, different use—marinate is the verb, marinade is the noun. You marinate chicken in a flavorful marinade. In this recipe, you’re marinating chicken in a citrus marinade.
Grilling Tips
- Thighs or breasts? Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are my go-to for this Citrus Chicken Marinade. They stay soft and won’t dry out if marinated or grilled a bit too long. Chicken breasts work too, just cut them in half and/or pound them to an even thickness (not flat). This ensures they cook evenly. I use a meat mallet—this shows how to do it.
- Flip the bag while marinating every now and then so all sides get the flavor.
- Oil the grill grates using oily paper towels and tongs to prevent sticking and get a nice crust.
- Let the grilled chicken rest under foil for 5–10 minutes before cutting. This keeps the juices in and makes the chicken more moist.
Citrus Chicken Marinade Serving Suggestions
I love serving this chicken over Coconut Rice with grilled or roasted veggies on the side.
Make the rice while the grill heats and cook the veggies alongside the chicken. To serve, layer rice, sliced chicken, veggies, and drizzle with sauce.
Or make a salad: toss greens with half the sauce, then add sliced chicken, oranges, cheese, and almonds or pistachios. Drizzle with the rest of the sauce.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes:
Citrus Chicken Marinade
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large oranges
- 2 large limes
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 4 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs see note 1
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- Cooked rice for serving, see note 2
- 1 large avocado optional
Instructions
- Zest the orange and lime with a zester to get 1 teaspoon of zest from each. Juice them using a citrus juicer to get 1/3 cup orange juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice.Trim the chicken thighs to remove large pieces of fat/gristle before cutting them into 1-inch cubes.
- Blend all ingredients listed under “Blend” in a small blender until smooth (about 45 seconds).
- Pour 1/3 cup of the marinade in a mason jar and store in the fridge. Remove another 3 tablespoons and place in a separate container for later. Add the cubed chicken thighs to a large resealable bag with the remaining marinade. Seal the bag without air and knead the marinade into the chicken.
- Place in the fridge and marinate for 30 minutes up to 3 hours. Don’t marinate longer than 4 hours.
- Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element. Preheat the broiler to high. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup. To grill chicken instead of bake, see note 3.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread onto skewers while allowing excess marinade to drip off (discard).
- Place skewers, spaced apart, on prepared pan. Broil for 12 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F and has a golden exterior. Sprinkle salt on the skewers immediately after removing from the oven to taste. Brush the reserved 3 tablespoons of marinade over the chicken.
- Add the drained and rinsed beans to a bowl. Pour a few tablespoons of the reserved 1/3 cup sauce over the beans to season them, then gently stir.
- Mix more of the reserved sauce into the cooked rice to taste. Divide the rice and beans evenly among 4 bowls. Top with chicken. Dice the avocado (if using) and divide evenly among the bowls. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the bowls to finish and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried it with 2 split chicken breasts (bone-in)
and was pleasantly surprised at the nice
orangey flavor.
I didn’t use a microplane because, well… I’m not Martha Stewart – but used the cowbell grater for both the orange and lime, which worked great. Marinated for 3 hours and put on grill.
This is a solid marinade base for poultry. Highly recommend!
So thrilled to hear this! Haha it sounds like you’re Martha Stewart! 🙂 Thanks for your comment Karl! 🙂