Citrus Herb Chicken Recipe, a flavorful blend of fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary fused with the juice of delicious cara cara oranges. It's light, fresh and packed with a citrus punch. So, if you've got a few herbs on hand and an orange or two, this would be the perfect time to whip up a quick and easy weeknight dinner. It's Whole30, Gluten-Free, and a low carb recipe.
I usually always have fresh herbs on hand. A few of my favorites are:
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Cilantro
I love adding fresh herbs to chicken, beef, salmon, vegetables, casseroles, stews, dips and salad dressings as herbs enhance the flavor, adds freshness and brightens-up any dish. They are pretty budget-friendly and keep very well in the fridge. They can turn an ordinary dish into a spectacular dish due to their own unique taste and quality and this Citrus Herb Chicken Recipe was no exception.
If you're not use to cooking with herbs, I would suggest that you start with one or two of the common ones that I've listed above and experiment by using them in your upcoming recipes where you see fit.
In case you're wondering about dried herbs, yes, I use them but not as much as I use fresh herbs. Dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh herbs, has a greater depth of flavor, and are a little spicier.
TIP: As a rule of thumb, due to dried herbs being more concentrated, it's best to use less dried herbs than you would fresh herbs. For example, for every 3 teaspoons of fresh herbs; use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
HOW TO MAKE CITRUS HERB CHICKEN RECIPE
- Make herbs-citrus marinade: add avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil, chopped fresh herbs, zest of an orange and juice from oranges
- Pat dry chicken breast with paper towels, season back side of chicken with seasoning
- Drizzle chicken (side facing-up) with herb-citrus marinade and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, coriander
- Slice oranges into rings and add rings to baking sheet (into a single layer to ensure caramelization)
- Bake until internal temperature of chicken breast reaches 165 degrees
When checking chicken for doneness, especially chicken breast, it's crucial that you're not baking until it turns brown. It's all about checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to prevent your chicken breast from drying out.
No one wants to eat dry chicken breast that's difficult to chew and swallow. It taste horrible and is a complete turn-off. So, do yourself a favor and invest in a meat thermometer, it will save you a lot of heartache when it comes to cooking chicken breast.
Although I used chicken breast for this recipe, you can use any parts of the chicken. It will be just as delicious. I just happen to have some chicken breast that I wanted to use up on this particular day.
By the way, you can also use any kind of orange: naval oranges, blood oranges, or Valencia oranges.
Raw chicken breast drizzled with marinade and seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika
And... done
A delicious juicy citrus herb chicken recipe... a delightful weeknight dinner
WHICH HERBS GO WITH CHICKEN
As stated above, most herbs will go well with chicken. I've also seen a variety pack of herbs labeled something like 'herbs for poultry' which comes with thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram. I've seen this pack at Smart and Final which is where I've bought it in the past. Lately, I just by my herbs individually.
I have not tried fresh tarragon or oregano but are looking to experiment with them soon. I'll report back when I do.
Here, are a few sides that would go perfect with this Citrus Herb Chicken Recipe:
If you're going for a low-carb theme check out:
Simple Arugula Salad with Nectarines
Or, for other chicken recipe inspiration try:
Easy Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers
I'd love to hear your comments in the comment section below. Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest to see what I'm pinning for a little inspiration or on Instagram.
More importantly, thank you for visiting my blog.
By the way, if you have questions about 'How To' recipes or need tips, please send me an email to: [email protected]
Citrus Herb Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breast (with skin + bone-in)
- kosher salt (season to taste)
- tsp cumin (season to taste)
- tsp coriander (season to taste)
- tsp garlic powder (season to taste)
- tsp peppercorn (season to taste)
Marinade
- 2 tbsp melting ghee/clarified butter (You can use regular butter if not on Whole30)
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (You can use extra virgin olive oil)
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 1 tbsp sage
- 1 tbsp thyme
- ½ tsp rosemary
- ½ tsp chives
- zest + juice of 1 lime
- zest + juice of 1 orange (I used cara cara oranges)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 420 degrees.
- In a small bowl, add fresh herbs, ghee, and avocado oil and stir until well combined. Set aside.
- Wash and pat dry chicken breast with paper towel. If chicken breasts are large, cut in half (I did). Season back side of chicken breast with dry seasoning. Flip over and drizzle marinade generously over chicken breast and season with dry seasoning. Place orange slices and limes into single layer on baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet in oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Note: During baking, use pan juices to baste chicken throughout cooking time.
- Remove from oven and serve
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