Juicy, tender and sweet- this cilantro orange chicken is minimum effort with maximum flavor making it an ideal dinner recipe for busy weeknights. The marinade adds incredible flavor to the chicken and creates the best sauce. Serve it alongside rice and beans with a homemade pineapple jalapeño salsa.
In This Post
We've all been there- it's 5PM, you've been non-stop all day and you're trying to figure out what to make for dinner tonight. This cilantro orange chicken requires very little effort, delivers an incredible amount of flavor and on the table in 30 minutes!
Why You'll Love This Cilantro Orange Chicken Recipe
- Quick & easy- on the table in 30 minutes!
- Extra tender and juicy chicken
- Bright, fresh and bursting with flavor
- Extraaaaa saucy
- Perfect make-ahead recipe- prep ahead and cook later
Grab These Ingredients
- Chicken: This recipe is incredibly versatile- you can use either chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Just make sure they are cut into similar size pieces to ensure it cooks evenly.
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness, flavor from the molasses and helps create the sauce.
- Cilantro: LOTS of chopped cilantro, ½ cup!
- Oranges: This recipe calls for 3 fresh oranges- make sure they have some give to them (you want that juice!)
- Honey: Just 2 teaspoons for added sweetness.
- Olive Oil: The olive oil is used in the marinade/sauce and to brown the chicken.
- Garlic: FLAVOR!
- Lime: Not much but adds brightness and flavor.
- Salt & Pepper: Not much from the spices cabinet, we're letting the other ingredients do most of the work.
- Cornstarch & Water: Combining cornstarch and water makes a "slurry". This is added at the end which helps create the sauce.
How To Make Cilantro Orange Chicken
Remember when I said "requires very little effort"? I wasn't kidding.
- Make the Marinade: The marinade also serves as the sauce so really, you're making both. Combine the ingredients together in a bowl, give it a whisk and pour over the chicken. More details are in the recipe card if you're making it ahead or you can my Tips For How To Freeze Marinated Chicken.
- Cook the Chicken: Brown the chicken over medium-high heat. It's OK if it's not fully cooked as it will finish in the next step.
- Make the Sauce: Add the reserved marinade/sauce mixture to the pan and allow it to simmer until thickened.
FAQ: Do I Need To Marinate The Chicken?
You don't have to- I've made this recipe a bunch and more often than not, I don't marinate the chicken. The sauce is incredibly flavorful and the chicken is nice and saucy, so you'll get lots of it! If you prefer or have the time to marinate the chicken, you can! You can find more details for this specific recipe in the recipe card below.
FAQ: Can I Grill The Chicken Instead?
ABSOLUTELY! And, it's SO good grilled too! I highly recommend using a grill pan or tossing the chicken on skewers, either wood or metal. If you're using wood skewers make sure you soak them for at least 20 minutes before adding the chicken. You can find more details for this in the recipe card.
Try These Time Saving Tips
While this is a QUICK recipe- only 15 minutes to cook, there are a few time saving tips making this dinner recipe even quicker.
- Make the marinate/sauce up to 2 days in advance. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator. The day of, whisk before pouring over the chicken.
- Marinate the chicken up to 1 day in advance. Cover marinated chicken and reserved marinade/sauce tightly and place in the refrigerator.
- While the chicken is cooking, microwave quick white or brown rice (even cauliflower rice!) and warm desired beans.
- Make the pineapple salsa up to 2 days in advance. Cover tightly and place in the refrigerator.
More Easy Recipes To Try
- Chicken Enchiladas (Just 35 Minutes!)
- Baked Chicken Meatballs
- Baked Oven Meatballs
- Sausage Stuffed Peppers
Cilantro Orange Chicken
Description
Juicy, tender and sweet- this cilantro orange chicken is minimum effort with maximum flavor making it an ideal dinner recipe for busy weeknights. The marinade adds incredible flavor to the chicken and creates the best sauce. Serve it alongside rice and beans with a homemade pineapple jalapeño salsa.
Ingredients
Cilantro Orange Chicken
- ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- juice of 3 oranges, about ⅓ cup juice
- 2 Tablespoons orange zest
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- juice of 1 lime, about 1-2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into about 2-inch bite sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch + 3 teaspoons water, stirred together
- optional for serving: 2-3 cups cooked rice or quinoa
- optional for serving: 2-3 cups cooked cuban black beans or refried beans
Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 jalapeño, minced, seeded and deveined
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
- juice of 1 lime, about 1-2 teaspoons
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- optional: 1 avocado, chopped
Instructions
- Whisk the marinade/sauce ingredients together in a small bowl- cilantro, garlic, orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, honey, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to a medium bowl and pour ⅓ cup of the sauce on top. Give it a stir, ensuring the chicken is completely coated. You will use a portion of the sauce as the marinade and reserve the remaining for step 4.
- Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 30 seconds. Place the chicken in the skillet and brown each side, about 7-8 minutes. Discard the used marinade.
- While the chicken cooks, make the salsa: Add the pineapple, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and avocado (if using) to a small bowl. Give it a stir to combine. Set aside.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the reserved marinade/sauce and whisk together. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Stir to combine, then bring the sauce to a simmer. Once simmering, cook for 2 minutes until sauce has thickened and the chicken reaches a temperature of 165°F. (It should be fully cooked by this point. If not, cook another 1-2 minutes.)
- Serve chicken over rice topped with pineapple salsa and beans. Leftovers stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Recommended Tools: Non Slip Cutting Board | Chef's Knife | Hand Zester & Grater | Mixing Bowls | Tongs | Whisk
- Make Ahead Instructions: The chicken can be marinated up to 1 day in advance. Follow through step 1, covering the chicken and reserved marinade/sauce mixture tightly. The marinade/sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance- give it a stir before pouring over the chicken. The pineapple salsa can be made up to 2 days in advance (without the avocado) and covered tightly. If desired, add the avocado the day of.
- Freezing Instructions: The marinated chicken and reserved marinade/sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. For more tips on freezing marinated chicken, read my Tips For Freezing Marinated Chicken.
- Chicken: This recipe is incredibly versatile- you can use either chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Make sure they are boneless, skinless and cut into similar size pieces to ensure it cooks evenly.
- Brown Sugar: You can use light or dark brown sugar- I prefer dark brown sugar due to its high molasses flavor.
- Pineapple Salsa: If you're not a fan of spice, you can omit the jalapeño.
- Some time saving tips! 1) Make the marinate/sauce 1-2 days in advance, 2) Marinate the chicken 1 day in advance, 3) While the chicken is cooking, you can microwave quick white or brown rice and warm beans. 2) Make the pineapple salsa 1-2 days prior.
- Can I grill the chicken instead? ABSOLUTELY! And, it's SO good grilled too! I highly recommend using a grill pan or tossing the chicken on skewers, either wood or metal. If you're using wood skewers make sure you soak them for at least 20 minutes before adding the chicken. While the chicken is on the grill, add the reserved marinade/sauce (with the cornstarch mixture) to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove the chicken from the grill and toss in the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 1238mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
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Mitch says
I made this last night for my teenage boys and I and we all loved! Instead of the pineapple salsa I bought a pre-made mango salsa to make it easier on myself and my kids love mango. All of it was gone. Thanks for the quick recipe for us!
Christina says
Thank you for leaving a review, Mitch! I'm so glad the family loved this recipe.
Kate says
Made this for dinner for my husband and I last night and we loved this. I’m sad that I didn’t double the recipe for leftovers.
Christina says
I'm so happy that you loved the recipe! And thank you for leaving a review!