Citrus Chicken Marinade

5 from 3 votes

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 Time15

Cook Time10

Marinating Time30

Total Time55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Healthy

Keyword: Citrus Chicken Marinade

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $13.23

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

US - Metric

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

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