Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken

4.67 from 3 votes

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This Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken is packed with flavor and is a super easy dinner that’s on the table in no time. Orange juice, honey and rosemary marinate the chicken that’s grilled to tender perfection, then dressed with a pistachio, cilantro and citrus salad.

Super easy and perfect for a mid-week dinner that’s on the table quick and it’s light enough for lunch, or dinner with a side. Just look at all the beautiful colors in this dish!

Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken has a orange juice, honey and rosemary marinade, is grilled then dressed with a pistachio, cilantro and citrus salad. So easy! keviniscooking.com

A quick 30 minute marinade is all it takes while you get the grill or cast-iron grill pan going. It all starts with orange juice, honey, chopped rosemary and some salt and pepper. I like to add a pinch of red pepper flakes too for a little kick. It’s not too much and I highly recommend it.

This Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken really has a well balanced flavored marinade and is perfect for the grill.

Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken has a orange juice, honey and rosemary marinade, is grilled then dressed with a pistachio, cilantro and citrus salad. So easy! keviniscooking.com

With all the different varieties of fresh citrus coming out the colors and flavors add such a fresh touch. Feel free to mix and match to suit your needs if some I have used here are unavailable.

I used grapefruit, orange, blood orange, tangelo and lime. Peel and slice!

Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken has a orange juice, honey and rosemary marinade, is grilled then dressed with a pistachio, cilantro and citrus salad. So easy! keviniscooking.com

The citrus salad is a cinch too. Just peel and slice the citrus 1/4” thick crosswise, then dice into two to three segment pieces. Toss with a tablespoon of honey, the cilantro and chopped dates and pistachios.

Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken has a orange juice, honey and rosemary marinade, is grilled then dressed with a pistachio, cilantro and citrus salad. So easy! keviniscooking.com

While grilling I baste with the marinade, but due to the fact the chicken was in it do not use marinade to put on top after it’s cooked. Just discard it, don’t want to get anyone sick.

I just sprinkle with some finely diced rosemary (optional) and plate with the salad.

For other grilled dinner ideas, try my Grilled Hoisin Lamb Loin ChopsHoney Mustard Grilled Salmonor these Watermelon and Grilled Shrimp Skewers. Enjoy!

Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken has a orange juice, honey and rosemary marinade, is grilled then dressed with a pistachio, cilantro and citrus salad. So easy! keviniscooking.com

Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken has a orange juice, honey and rosemary marinade, is grilled then dressed with a pistachio, cilantro and citrus salad. So easy! keviniscooking.com

Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken

4.67 from 3 votes
Citrus Honey Grilled Chicken has a orange juice, honey and rosemary marinade, is grilled then dressed with a pistachio, cilantro and citrus salad. So easy! Adapted from Saveur magazine.
Servings: 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup honey + 1 tbsp for salad
  • 3 tbsp rosemary , minced
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • pinch salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper , to taste
  • 2 lb chicken thighs bone in, skin on
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup pistachios , roughly chopped
  • 15 pitted dates , halved lengthwise
  • 1 blood orange , peeled and sliced 1/4” thick crosswise (See Note 1)
  • 1 navel orange , peeled and sliced 1/4” thick crosswise (See Note 1)
  • 1 Cara Cara , peeled and sliced 1/4” thick crosswise (See Note 1)
  • 1 red grapefruit , peeled and sliced 1/4” thick crosswise (See Note 1)
  • 1 lime , peeled and sliced 1/4” thick crosswise (See Note 1)

Instructions 

  • Mix orange juice, honey, rosemary, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl; add chicken and toss to combine. Marinate 30 minutes, or until ready to use.
  • Heat a gas grill to medium heat. Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.
  • Remove chicken from marinade, shake off excess and transfer to grill. Cook skin-side down, flipping once, and basting occasionally with remaining sauce until charred and cooked through, about 12–15 minutes. Internal temperature should be 165°F.
  • Transfer chicken to a cutting board, and let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Remove skin if desired and plate.
  • In a bowl toss cilantro, pistachios, dates, and citrus pieces together and drizzle with remaining tablespoon of honey. Serve with chicken.

Notes

  1. Feel free to use any variety of citrus fruit you might have on hand or that's available.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 882kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 1143mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 1525IU | Vitamin C: 81.2mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 3.7mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: American, Western
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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16 Comments

  1. Thigh on life! This chicken looks incredible. SO many vibrant flavors here! Thanks for the inspiring recipe.

    1. Oh thanks so much, really. It’s a good one and so beautiful to look at… then devour! 😉

  2. 4 stars
    Whenever I am around here, you have a recipe that has a punch! 🙂 Citrus honey and chicken with rosemary and red pepper flakes (is it same as the red chilli flakes?) And the salad idea is something I would make out of this recipe! 🙂

    1. Hi there Famidha! Yes the red pepper flakes are the same as red chili flakes. Just a little kick! The salad of mixed citrus is prefect with this and on it’s own. Enjoy! By chance did you see my Persian Almond and Pistachio Brittle the other day? Now that is a-mazing! The delicate saffron and rose water in the brittle is wonderful. Hope you take a look. 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    I can always count on you for recipes with FLAVOR PUNCH! And this one…oh man, Kevin. So calling my name, every bit of it. Time to fire up the grill even though it snowed over the weekend, lol!

    1. Snowed? WOW! The chicken itself is quite delish, but that wonderful mixed citrus salad is the best side for this one! Thanks Marissa! 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    I can’t stop staring at this chicken, Kevin! Seriously, you win the award for prettiest chicken EVER. I am just loving the flavors here! I adore citrus with honey, but that touch of rosemary and pinch of red pepper flakes is making me swoon! You better BET I am firing up the dang grill and making this PRONTO! Pinned and shared! Cheers, buddy!

    1. Thanks Chey! Each bite was another kind of citrus, it was so fun and the pops of rosemary and sweet were perfect here. Great talking with you this afternoon. 🙂

  5. Hi Kevin. This is summer on a plate. The fruit salad is so refreshing along with the juicy, crispy chicken. I like your addition of dates and pistachios.

    1. Thanks so much Dorothy! I ended up shredding the leftover chicken and tossing it the next day with the remaining citrus salad and dug right in again! 🙂

  6. Love all the use of citrus here, Kevin!! So perfect for spring and summer! That grill too! High five, my friend! Nice touch with the rosemary at the end – I would definitely do that (it’s one of my favourite herbs and we grow a lot of it in the garden in the summer). Pinning! Hope you had a lovely Easter weekend!

    1. Thanks Dawn! Easter was spent up on Mt Laguna hiking with the fur babies and then a relaxing afternoon and no big plans. Don’t you find sometimes as a food blogger by “doing” the holiday beforehand for the recipes/post that when it actually arrives you have already moved on and are done? 🙂

  7. This is totally my kind of dinner Kevin! Chicken thighs and some sweet and spicy flavoring! I just love the ingredient list. I’m all in! Have a great week.