If you are looking for a light and refreshing chicken recipe, make this Grilled Citrus Chicken. The marinade is made with 3 types of fresh citrus.
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With my large family, we live for recipes that are quick and easy but also healthy and delicious. This grilled chicken citrus marinade is one of those recipe. This fresh citrus marinade helps to enhance the flavors for a delicious meal idea.
When we grill out, we make a lot of Grilled Chicken Recipes. I like try different marinade to change the flavors. Check out these other delicious marinade recipes – Chicken Curry Marinade, Chicken Fajita Marinade, and Buttermilk Chicken Marinade.
You may also love this Grilled Hoisin Chicken Recipe.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Citrus Chicken:
This citrus marinade for grilled chicken gives the chicken so much flavor. It is made with simple ingredients which makes it budget friendly.
This easy chicken marinade can be used with different types of chicken. You can even change the ingredients to the citrus chicken marinade. This recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal or a date night in.
Ingredients:
- Orange Juice
- Lemon, Juiced and Lemon Zest
- Lime, Juiced and Lime Zest
- Olive Oil
- Minced Garlic
- Honey
- Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Dried Rosemary
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
See recipe card for the full list of ingredients, recipe and notes.
Substitutions and Additions:
- Seasoning – We used dried rosemary in this recipe, but you can also use fresh rosemary.
- Chicken – We like grilling out chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs work great and so does chicken tenders.
- Dijon Mustard – This is a great addition to this marinade and adds extra flavor.
- Garlic – Feel free to add in fresh garlic cloves or garlic powder if that is all you have.
Recipe Instructions:
Step 1 – Combine the marinade ingredients in a bag.
Step 2 – Add the chicken to the bag then refrigerated the marinated chicken for 2-12 hours.
Recipe Tips:
- Meat Thermometer – After cooking chicken, use a meat thermometer to make sure chicken is cooked thoroughly. Insert thermometer in the thickest part of chicken.
- Prepare Grill – We usually grill chicken on a gas grill, but you can also use a charcoal grill. Preheat the grill to medium heat and you may need to oil grill grates. This helps to prevent the chicken from sticking and gives the chicken the best texture.
- Prepare Chicken – You may need to pound your chicken to make them about the same size. This helps to cook the chicken evenly and about the same time.
- Serving – We like to meal prep for the week with this chicken marinade recipe. Slice and serve with grilled potatoes, broccoli and a salad.
- Grilling Chicken – Grill chicken about 5 minutes per side to create a delicious smoke flavor. This helps to keep the chicken juicy on the inside.
- Bake in the Oven – You can easily use this marinade to bake the chicken in the oven. Marinate chicken and bake for about 20 minutes in an oven at 400 degrees. Cooking time will vary based on the size of chicken.
Why Marinade Chicken:
Marinating chicken adds flavor and helps to keep the chicken moist while grilling. Even if you only marinate the chicken for 20 minutes this helps to turn bland chicken into a delicious meal idea.
It also helps to tenderize your chicken depending on the ingredients you use. Chicken marinade can be as simple as using Italian dressing or making a marinade for scratch.
How to Store Leftovers:
Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. We like to store in individual containers for a quick lunch the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions:
We recommend marinating chicken for at least 2 hours. This helps for the marinate to really soak into the chicken. But do not exceed 12 hours for marinating chicken. It could cause the chicken exterior to get mushy.
Feel free to use any cuts of chicken you prefer. We have made this recipe with chicken thighs and chicken breast and both turned out delicious. This chicken marinade makes enough for about 2 pounds of chicken.
The best way to tell if your chicken is done, is to use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees. The exterior of the chicken will have nice char marks and will shrink in size. Make sure to let chicken rest before slicing.
We recommend making the chicken marinade right before using. Since using fresh citrus ingredients the flavors may not be as fresh if making it to far in advance.
More Easy Grilled Chicken Recipes:
Leave us a star review or comment below if you tried this Citrus Grilled Chicken. We love hearing from you!
Grilled Citrus Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 lemon juiced +zest
- 1 lime juiced + zest
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a bag. Then add the chicken.
- Refrigerated the marinated chicken for 2-12 hours.
- When ready to cook reheat the grill to medium high heat.
- Grill 5-6 minutes per side until chicken is cooked through.
