Published: by Faith · This post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments
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A blend of citrus, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, honey, and soy sauce in this Spicy Honey Citrus Chicken Recipe lend a balanced flavor profile.
Time can be a funny thing.
Sometimes when life gets hectic I’ll be racing along, thinking I have just enough time to finish what I need to do, with tunnel vision for the task I’m working on. I settle into the mindset that I barely have a moment to spare, especially if it’s to take time to do something trivial like enjoy a cup of tea.
And then life will sneak up completely unexpectedly and take me by surprise. It could be getting sick, or a loved one getting sick who needs my full attention. It could be a flat tire or a speeding ticket (so ironic that in the end speeding slows you down instead of getting you to your destination faster! Life is funny like that). Or more permanently, it could be the death of a friend, family member, or acquaintance.
These things feel like a blow to the chest, literally knocking the wind out.
These things make me realize that no matter how frantic and busy life gets, some things are always more important. My post today is dedicated to everyone affected by the bombings that happened at the Boston Marathon on Monday. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with you.
It almost seems silly to talk about food in the midst of such tragedy, but thinking about it, maybe it’s not. Food is more than just bodily sustenance. It’s how we show our loved ones that we care about them. Sitting down and enjoying a meal with someone is one of the most intimate things you can do.
So in the spirit of offering comfort, I offer this simple recipe for chicken.
In This Article
Spicy Honey Citrus Chicken Recipe
This dish full of layered flavors. Its bright and zesty, but balanced with sweet, salty, and spicy flavors.
I give directions on how to turn the flavorful marinade into a rich sauce, heavy with onion. This is totally optional though, and the chicken is still fantastic without it.
The hands-on time that it takes to make this Spicy Honey Citrus Chicken Recipe is minimal. This means you can spend more time on more important things, like reading to your kids, a phone call with a dear friend, a date night with your significant other, or even just a cup of tea to yourself.
How Long Can You Marinate Chicken?
Marinate the chicken for this Spicy Honey Citrus Chicken Recipe for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Do You Rinse Marinade Off Chicken Before Cooking?
No, do not rinse marinade off chicken before cooking. Just remove the chicken from the marinade and let the excess drip off.
More Chicken Dishes to Make:
- Coconut Chicken Tenders
- Easy Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole
- Monterey Chicken (Chili's Copycat Recipe)
- Coconut Milk Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Sauce
- Honey Garlic Chicken Wings with Satay Dipping Sauce
- Tropical Roasted Chicken
- Easy Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Spicy Honey Citrus Chicken Recipe
By: Faith Gorsky
A blend of citrus, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, honey, and soy sauce in this Spicy Honey Citrus Chicken Recipe lend a balanced flavor profile.
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Servings 3 servings
Calories 388 kcal
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice from 1 medium orange
- 11/2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon tamari sauce or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large cloves garlic crushed
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger grated on a microplane
- 1 small onion halved and thinly sliced
- 1 ¾ pounds chicken drumsticks about 6 drumsticks
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water to form a slurry
- Fresh lemon or lime slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, lemon zest, lime zest, crushed red pepper flakes, honey, tamari, oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, ginger, and onion in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or lightly spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange the chicken on the prepared baking sheet, reserving the marinade (with the onion). Roast the chicken until fully cooked (the juices should run clear), about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
While the chicken roasts, pour the marinade (with the onion) and the water into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring up to a boil and let the sauce boil vigorously (uncovered) 5 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 30 seconds more, stirring constantly.
To serve, arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Spoon a bit of the sauce on top and garnish with lemon or lime slices if desired.
Faith's Tips
- Paleo Version: Use coconut aminos instead of tamari or soy sauce; use arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch.
- Gluten Free Version: Use tamari sauce or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Spicy Honey Citrus Chicken Recipe
Amount Per Serving (2 drumsticks)
Calories 388Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 163mg54%
Sodium 729mg32%
Potassium 531mg15%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 33g66%
Vitamin A 336IU7%
Vitamin C 23mg28%
Calcium 36mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Citrus Chicken
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on April 17, 2013. I updated it with more information on December 8, 2020.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items. Thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
