Fresh orange juice, olive oil and herbes de Provence (a combination of thyme, rosemary, marjoram, lavender, oregano) seep through these organic chicken breasts grilled to perfection! So simple, so tender and so juicy, it’s a cinch to make and it’s delicious every time. You can grill it on your BBQ outside in the summer but it’s just as easy to grill inside in the cold months. I just use a grill pan like the one in the photo below and preheat over a high flame until nice and hot, before proceeding. I just adjust the timing to make sure it’s cooked through (an additional 2 minutes per side)–Don’t overcook! I love to slice it at a slant and serve over mixed greens or in a panini with fresh sliced avocado, tomato and baby spinach, but really the options are limitless!
- 2 organic free range whole chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
- Marinade:
- Juice of 2 oranges (about ½ cup)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp dried herbes de Provence*
- ½ tsp salt
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts.
- Place all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and stir.
- Add the chicken breasts to the bowl, poke through the chicken with a fork so as let the marinade seep in and stir well to coat. You can keep in the fridge for a couple hours until ready to grill but it is not necessary. You can proceed to the next step.
- If you want to grill it on your stove top:
- Use a non-stick grill pan like the one in the photo below and preheat over a high flame until nice and hot, before proceeding. Do not add any oil!
- Place the marinaded chicken breasts on the Grill pan and grill on each side for 6-7 minutes each (do not fuss with it-- just let it grill on each side and only turn it once!). Discard extra marinade.
- If your chicken breast is very thick and it's still not cooked through after the allotted time, you can turn off the stove with the chicken still in the pan,and cover it for an additional 5-8 minutes, before slicing. It will keep all the juices and be perfectly tender and cooked through that way!
- if you want to use your BBQ grill:
- Prepare your gas grill for direct cooking over high heat (450-550 F).
- Place the coated chicken breasts on top of the grill (reserve some of the marinade) and close the lid. Set the timer to 5 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, turn the chicken over using a long-handled grill metal spatula, pour the remaining marinade on top and close the lid again. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, remove the chicken from the grill.
- Using a sharp knife, cut each breast in ¼ inch slices at an angle.
GRILL PAN–Perfect for grilling on the stove! Just be sure to preheat well so that the chicken will sizzle right away!
Just seen this great article if you are ready to plan your holidays for next year. Have a look, its good to know.
Where are the nutritional values?
Rachel, you must be new to my website, so here is why I choose not to include the nutritional values:
http://cuisinicity.com/calories-in-calories-out-but-dont-obsess/
However, if nutrient analysis is important to you, the recipes are an open book so it’s very easy to figure out the nutritional values using any tool online. I hope this is helpful!
Catherine, I am wondering why a non-stick grill would be used for healthy recipes. I know that non-stick grilling has advantages, but what about the toxic ingredients in the non-stick cooking utensils?
Hi Rita,
That’s what I use in my kitchen for ease- remember I have a family of 7- sometimes best not to make perfection the enemy of good! But, absolutely feel free to use the utensils you prefer, they will work well too!
I use wooden utensils. I have no problem with that.
I plan to try many of your recipes. I learned of your website from your husband’s “Awakening from Alzheimer’s” presentation. His presentation was so informative. I have also signed up for his free weekly newsletter.
Thank you to both of you for all your years of hard work and research and for your love for others.
Hi Rita,
Thank you for the kind words! I am delighted to have you at the Cuisinicity table–Welcome and bon appétit!! 🙂
Dear Catherine,
I just made this chicken-in-orange-juice dish for dinner this evening along with your sweet potatoes done in foil in the oven, and yellow squash, also done in the oven. It was just delicious. So healthy and so simple to prepare; it’s unbelievable. Thank you for all your super recipes.
Best wishes,
Anna
Thank you so much Anna! You couldn’t make me happier with your wonderful heartfelt comment!! I LOVE LOVE it!! 🙂
I’d love it if you added nutrition information to your recipes.
I understand Lorie and appreciate your suggestion. It may be helpful for you to know why I chose not to for this website: http://cuisinicity.com/calories-in-calories-out-but-dont-obsess/
Hi Catherine,
Bread worked in the food processor but didn’t rise much. Not sure how much to expect. Would there be much difference between the “bread hook” dough and the “food processor” dough do you think? Always up for a new kitchen gadget!
Hi Cristine! I am actually surprised it even worked at all in a food processor, because I think it’s too “harsh” for a bread dough. So, I don’t know the answer to your question. All I can say is, if you don’t have a regular mixer like the one in my video (did you see it?) then, you can easily mix it with your hands, the old fashioned way! 🙂
Hi Catherine,
Love your recipes! Made your walnut salmon last night…easy and good! Wanted to let you and other followers of yours know that I have prepared this dish (the chicken) three times. The first two times I used a cast iron grill pan which I thought of as “non-stick”. OMG trying to clean the pan afterwards! Was contemplating never making the dish again but really liked it so broke down and bought a non-stick grilling skillet…clean up was a snap! So this chicken is now a dinner staple! I’m making your whole wheat bread this afternoon using a food processor instead of the blender with dough hook (which I don’t have). We will see how it goes.
YAY Cristine!! I love your perseverance!! It paid off indeed–I LOVE grilling chicken this way!
I am grateful you made this point about the nonstick grilling skillet for my other followers because often times, I find people cut corners and don’t listen exactly to some things I say are important in making this or that dish work and they walk away from an absolute gem of a dish. That always frustrates me because all my recipes are tried and true and I do my best to impart that in my instructions so it’s fail-safe.
Having said that, I sure hope my whole wheat boule will work in your food processor as well….please let me know (either way) because it will be helpful to my other readers as well! Thank yoU so much for your comment–I LOVE IT!! 🙂
Hi Catherine,
I made this chicken last night served with black lentils and broccoli. A big hit! I’m wondering how long you leave the chicken in the marinade. I vaguely remember reading somewhere that chicken should not be marinaded for longer than 15 minutes in an acidic marinade. Have you heard that? Anyway, this recipe is going to be a regular at our house. Thanks
Wow Cristine, that sounds so yummy!! I love it!I am so glad this will be a regular at your house. My son Gabe now makes it all by himself (I’ll have to make a little video clip of it next time–he is so cute!!).
For the marinade, you don’t even need to wait, you can grill the chicken right away–just make sure to poke the chicken with a fork so that it really gets into those nooks and crannies–but I have left the chicken in the marinade for longer in the fridge, before grilling, with no issue– I just don’t use the leftover marinade so that there is no raw chicken contamination.
YUM! Need I say more?
Haha! Greg, the best comment there is!!
No, – they have some really great kitchen items! I didn’t buy a panini maker but I got a Bobby Flay hand weight/press – you just put it on top of the sandwich in the grill pan and the weight presses down and presto panini – or use on chicken etc. I got a bigger discount because I opened a Kohl’s charge – I am in trouble… 🙂
Yes these are so simple and just great! You are in trouble indeed my friend!!!
I am making this today – got my new grill pan at Kohl’s like you recommended!
YAY Greg! let me know how you like it! It wasn’t too expensive right?
Hello, I just came across your orange chicken recipe via a link to Dr Katz’ web page…gotta try it!!
Hope you both had a nice (and spooky) Halloween!
Best Regards
Dick Hyatt, MSc, RPh
LTC, US Army (retired)
So happy to hear it Dick! I hope you love it as much as we do!