Southwest Citrus Chicken Recipes

LEMON PEPPER MESQUITE GRILLED CHICKEN (SOUTHWEST)

Steps:

• Wash and pat dry chicken pieces, and place in plastic bag.
• Pour lemon juice and olive oil over chicken, seal, and marinate for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
• Remove from bag, discard marinate, and sprinkle liberal amounts of coarse ground black pepper and salt.
• Cook chicken on grill, using indirect heating method, or a smoker using charcoal briquettes and mesquite chunks. Whole chicken breasts will take about an hour (in a Webber). Smaller pieces will take less time.
• When done, serve immediately.

SOUTHWESTERN LIME CHICKEN WITH ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, oil, sugar, herbs, garlic, chili powder, and cayenne in a medium bowl; whisk to blend. Place the chicken in a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish 2 inches deep. Pour the marinade over. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.
• Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill until just cooked through, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Place 1 cheese slice atop each chicken piece; cover the grill and cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to plates. Serve with Ancho Chile Sauce.

THREE-CITRUS CHICKEN BREAST WITH COMPOUND BUTTER

Steps:

• Prepare the compound butter: Using a fine zester, grate the zest off the lemons, grapefruit and orange. Reserve the citrus for the marinade. Add the zest to a mixing bowl with the butter, Fresno chile, minced shallot, chives, 1 teaspoon salt and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Mix together well and set aside.
• Marinate the chicken: Slice the citrus into 1/4-inch rounds and add to a large baking dish with the garlic, orange juice, olive oil, Dijon, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Mix well to combine. Add the chicken breasts and toss well to coat, using your hands or tongs to squash the citrus and massage it into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
• Heat a grill to medium-high. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Remove from the marinade and discard. Season the breasts on both sides with salt and 4 to 5 turns of freshly ground black pepper. Place the chicken skin-side down on the grill, and cook for about 2 minutes. Rotate 90 degrees and cook for another 2 minutes; this creates nice cross-hatch sear marks on the chicken. Turn the chicken breasts over and repeat the same cooking process on the second side.
• Once the chicken is marked off, place it on a baking sheet skin-side up. Brush the top of the chicken liberally with the citrus compound butter. Finish cooking in the oven until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to rest for 4 to 5 minutes. Slice the breasts by removing the meat from the bone and cutting into thick slices (or serve whole individual portions). Top with a small spoonful of remaining compound butter so it melts into chicken as it is served.

CITRUS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving 1/4 cup for Glaze and put the chicken in a 13-by-9-inch pan and bake for 45 minutes. Baste with the Glaze, turn the pieces over and bake for an additional 15 to 25 minutes, basting every 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange the chicken on a serving platter.
• In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot add the shallots and ginger and saute for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Baste the chicken with the glaze after 45 minutes.