Grilled Orange Chicken
This grilled chicken includes a light citrusy marinade that’s perfect for summer.
Grilling is my absolute favorite way to cook. If the weather is nice I’ll be on the porch making dinner. Chicken, burgers, steaks… all of them make me happy.
But I can tell you that this yummy Grilled Orange Chicken is about to go on regular rotation over here. It is so good.
The key to this phenomenal dish is the marinade. It’s mild so you’re not getting an overwhelming citrus flavor. Instead it’s light, bright, and screams of warm weather days with sunshine.
So many store-bought marinades rely on sugar to bring out the sweetness but not here, friends. Orange juice is plenty sweet on it’s own and the Coconut Aminos add a depth of flavor you’re going to love.
If you’re not familiar with coconut aminos you’re about to be. I’m a big fan. You will likely find it at your local grocery store (I don’t even need to go to a natural food store for mine) because it’s gaining in popularity. It’s made from coconut tree sap. It looks and tastes remarkably similar to soy sauce. Remarkably. But it’s better for you because it has far less sodium. If it sounds a little strange just try it and I bet you’ll be using it all the time.
To really make your chicken wow let it marinade for as long as possible. I like to let it work it’s magic for half a day and sometimes overnight. It’s not required and if you only have an hour do an hour. It’s still going to be delicious.
For this recipe you’ll need (full list of ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below):
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Coconut aminos
- Orange juice
- Honey
- Orange zest
- Seasonings
Add your chicken and all marinade ingredients to a bag or container. Marinate for at least one hour and up to 12 hours. Then grill and eat!
What is coconut aminos?
Coconut aminos is a soy sauce substitute that has a lot less sodium and contains no soy. It truly tastes like a slightly sweet soy sauce! Learn more about what it is and why it’s so popular in healthy recipes here.
Chicken breasts or thighs?
Feel free to use boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs. I use breasts most often simply because that’s what my family prefers.
Can this chicken be made Whole30?
Yes! Just omit the honey and this marinade will be Whole30 compliant.
Will this marinade work well with other proteins?
Yes, the marinade is also delicious with steak, turkey, or pork.
How long should you marinate?
Since orange is a fairly mild flavor I recommend marinating for at least an hour and up to 12 hours. The longer you marinate the more pronounced the citrus flavor will be. I don’t recommend longer than 12 hours because your meat can start to breakdown and the texture changes if it sits in a marinade for too long. (That goes for any marinade.)
How can you prevent your chicken from sticking to the grill?
When I’m grilling meat without an olive oil marinade I like to add a little olive oil to the outside of my chicken just before placing on the grill. If you try to flip your chicken and you notice it’s sticking a bit just give it another minute before flipping and the chicken will usually release better then.
How to store leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to serve this
This chicken is delicious with grilled or roasted veggies and a simple salad.Â
More grilling recipes:
Ultimate Marinated Grilled Chicken
Garlic Balsamic Chicken Kabobs
Tropical Salsa Grilled Chicken
Grilled Orange Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless
Marinade
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp honey, omit if Whole30
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- orange zest from half an orange
Instructions
- If using chicken breasts that are quite thick, slice horizontally to create thin cutlets. This helps us cook the chicken faster and gets us better browning on all sides.
- Add chicken and all marinade ingredients to a gallon ziploc bag. Squeeze out excess air and zip closed. Lay flat, spreading the marinade inside the bag so that it's distributed evenly around the chicken breasts. Let marinade for a minimum of 1 hour. I prefer to let it marinade for several hours or overnight if possible.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Place your marinated chicken on the grill. Grill for 5-7 minutes, flip, and grill other side for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Cooking time varies depending on the thickness of your chicken.
Notes
Nutrition
18 Comments on “Grilled Orange Chicken”
we are so into grilling and chilling this summer! but i need to refill my propane tank! my daughter has been so much better about eating grilled chicken, this looks like a nice spin on what i usually do.
I like that it’s gluten free too. I’ll try the recipe! Thanks!
Oh yum! I need to pick up some chicken and add this to my meal plan. Looks delicious!
Yummy! I recently discovered Coconut Aminos and I love it. Now that they carry it a Trader Joe’s and it’s half the price of Whole Foods, I try to find new ways to use it. So this recipe will definitely show up at a bbq at my house soon.
I would never have thought to put orange with chicken, but that sounds absolutely delicious!
My one year old is obsessed with oranges, but chicken is hit or miss, maybe if I combine them he will eat as much chicken as he does oranges!! 🙂
YUM! Definitely going to try this recipe!
We are grillers in my house too and LOVE to try new recipes every summer. Definitely adding this to my meal planning and positive my kids will love!
I’ve never had orange chicken before, but it sure it looks tasty!! I’ve pinned it for later 🙂
This chicken looks and sounds amazing!
My stomach is gurgling. This looks so yummy.
These sound delicious! Going to try them out this week
Thank you, Jessica! I hope you enjoy it!
This looks just too good..I am surely trying this recipe soon. I never had orange chicken before but I think I should have it soon now. 🙂
Looks and sounds yummy! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks for sharing!
I hope you love it!
Marinading in the bag as I type!Â
I was given some oranges from my neighbor’s tree & this is the perfect use for them! Can’t wait to see how it turns out (I did add sriracha lol, I like a little heat!).