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.

Looking for more ways to change up chicken? Chicken Taco Marinade and Cilantro Lime Chicken are the two most popular chicken recipes on my site!

Citrus Chicken Marinade on a plate over rice.

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The Best Citrus Chicken Recipe

I’m obsessed with grilled chicken! It’s my go-to throughout the Spring and Summer, but I even grill in the Fall and Winter. It’s so easy to whip up a marinade when I have some free time in the day and then dinner is pretty much ready to go when everyone is home and hungry.

This citrus chicken has been a huge hit in my home. Each and every bite is packed with flavor! Plus, the quick marinade that gets made serves multiple purposes — it flavors the chicken, rice, and beans. So you’ll have a complete meal with minimal prep time!

All the ingredients for this recipe are prepped and ready to go—including the meat, soy sauce, honey, Dijon, orange, cilantro, garlic, and lime—for easy assembly.

Citrus Marinade For Chicken

Here are the ingredients in Citrus Chicken Marinade:

  • 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.
The citrus chicken marinade is blended together in the blender, then poured over the chicken to marinate.

How Long Can Chicken Marinate in Citrus?

Most marinades need hours or overnight, but not this Citrus Chicken Marinade. Citrus or acidic ingredients only need 2-3 hours, up to 4 hours max. If you marinate too long, the chicken can get dry. (Thighs are better than breasts for longer marinating.) Just like ceviche, citrus can “cook” food!

Quick Tip

And on the flip side, even 30 minutes of marinating the chicken is effective. For a quicker marinating time, cut breasts in half horizontally to create 2 thin pieces. For thighs, poke a few holes using the tines of a fork. This will help the marinade penetrate the meat for the shorter marinating time.

The meat is roasted in the oven on skewers.

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 left to marinate or grill a little too long. Chicken breasts work too. If using breasts, cut them in half and/or pound them to an even thickness (not flat). This helps the marinade soak in and makes sure they cook the same all the way through. I use a meat mallet—this shows how to do it.
  • Flip while marinating. Turn the bag now and then so all sides get the flavor.
  • Oil the grill. Rub some oil on the grill grates using oily paper towels and tongs. This keeps the chicken from sticking and helps it get a nice crust.
  • Let it rest. Cover the grilled chicken with foil and let it sit for 5–10 minutes before cutting. This keeps the juices in and makes the chicken more moist.
Citrus chicken, marinated and roasted to perfection, served on a bed of rice and ready to be enjoyed.

Citrus Chicken Marinade Serving Suggestions

My favorite way to enjoy this chicken is over Coconut Rice—so good! I usually add grilled or roasted veggies on the side.

Make the rice while the grill preheats and the chicken cooks. Grill the veggies alongside the chicken if you’re using the grill. To serve, divide the rice, top with sliced chicken, add veggies, and drizzle with sauce.

Another great option: a big salad! Toss mixed greens with half the sauce, then add sliced chicken, mandarin or clementine oranges, feta or goat cheese, and candied or toasted almonds or pistachios. Drizzle the rest of the sauce on top and enjoy!

The meat drizzled in the extra sauce ready to be enjoyed.

Quick Tip

I love zesting the limes and oranges with a microplane and then juicing them with this citrus juicer. These two tools make the recipe prep a breeze!

More Grilled Chicken Recipes

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5 from 3 votes

Citrus Chicken Marinade

By Chelsea Lords
A robustly flavored Citrus Chicken Marinade comes complete with fresh orange and lime juice. The citrus sauce has three purposes—marinating, basting, and a finishing sauce.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

Blend
  • 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
Chicken and Serving
  • 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.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the only meat that works well with the method of oven-broiling. To use breasts, you’ll want to grill them:
Here’s how to prep for grilling chicken breasts: before marinating, slice breasts in half horizontally. Then, pound to an even thickness (not flat). I really like this meat mallet, and here’s a good YouTube video that illustrates the pounding process. No meat mallet? Use a frying pan or your fist!
Note 2: I love this chicken over coconut rice or cilantro lime rice.
Note 3: To Grill Chicken: Preheat grill to medium-high (400-450°F) and grease grates with oiled paper towels. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, and place on the grill. Immediately brush with reserved basting mixture, close grill, and cook for 4–5 minutes or until caramelized. Use a metal spatula to flip, then baste again and cook another 3–5 minutes until chicken reaches 160°F. Let rest under foil for 5 minutes, then slice and season as needed.
Storage: To store leftovers, keep the chicken and citrus sauce separate. Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce can be kept in a separate container for up to 5 days. If you want to freeze, store the chicken and sauce in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.3g | Protein: 36.4g | Fat: 20.5g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 982.9mg | Fiber: 7.4g | Sugar: 6.6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Meet Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. karl says:

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    1. Chelsea says:

      So thrilled to hear this! Haha it sounds like you’re Martha Stewart! 🙂 Thanks for your comment Karl! 🙂

      Reply