This juicy chicken marinade featuring citrus produces the juiciest chicken–either breasts or thighs– and is oh-so delicious and simple to whip up! Made with a double-citrus blend of fresh lime and orange juice, it’s bursting with bright, zesty flavors and makes for tender chicken that can be grilled or baked.

Overhead shot of a white platter with sliced, grilled chicken; a serving fork; fresh herbs; and orange and lime slices. Platter is surrounded by small bowls of lime and orange slices and chopped herbs, a striped towel, and jars of a yellow sauce and honey.

5 star review

“Fantastic summer recipe! I so often add double, triple, or even more citrus to marinades and recipes as I’m a big citrus flavor-hound, but I’ve learned RFWL recipes tend to be excellent as-written. This is one of those perfect as-is recipes! Tangy, a touch sweet, and oh so fresh for the season, not to mention simple and quick to make. Definitely going into my seasonal rotation. So glad I found it early in the summer- I’ll be turning to this one again and again.”

– Jenny
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All Aboard the Citrus Chicken Train!

You know those dark and gloomy cold days where you need something to remind you of sunshine? Or those sunny, summer days where you need the perfect recipe for the grill? I have the best recipe for you – grilled or baked citrus marinated chicken is my new happy recipe for anytime of year! My easy lemon chicken marinade is similar to this recipe, but here we’re using double citrus with freshly squeezed lime and orange juice for a zesty and sweet flavor. 

A touch of honey adds additional sweetness and gives the chicken some caramelization when cooked, and dijon mustard rounds out all the flavors with some depth. Just 5 minutes to whip up the marinade, 30 minutes to marinate, and then either a quick bake or grill, and you’ll have yourself an easy drool-worthy meal that looks like you put in a lot more effort than you did.  Finish off the cooked chicken with a drizzle of reserved marinade for a burst of flavor, or use it to top my sesame noodle salad for a bright and fresh make ahead meal!

Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Citrus Marinade for Chicken and More!

Jump to Recipe Instructions
Overhead shot of the following ingredients: garlic, salt, honey, black pepper, chicken, mustard, oil, lime, orange.
Gather ingredients.
Overhead shot of whisking oil, lime and orange zest, and black pepper in a glass bowl. Bowl is surrounded by limes, an orange, and a jar of honey.
Whisk marinade ingredients.
Overhead shot a whisk in a glass bowl with a yellow sauce. Bowl is surrounded by limes, an orange, and a jar of honey.
Reserve half of marinade.
Overhead shot of pouring a tablespoon of water into a white baking dish with a yellow sauce. A glass bowl of yellow sauce is in the corner.
Add water & half of marinade to dish.
Overhead shot of a white baking dish with chicken thighs covered in a yellow sauce. A glass bowl of yellow sauce is in the corner.
Marinate chicken.
Overhead shot of a wooden cutting board with grilled chicken, fresh herbs, and a jar with a yellow sauce.
Grill chicken & let rest.
Overhead shot of a wooden cutting board with sliced, grilled chicken; a knife; fresh herbs; and a jar of yellow sauce.
Slice chicken.
Overhead shot of a white platter with sliced, grilled chicken; fresh herbs; and orange and lime slices. Platter is surrounded by small bowls of lime and orange slices and chopped herbs, a striped towel, and a jar of yellow sauce.
Drizzle with reserved sauce & serve.
Overhead shot of a glass bowl with oil. Bowl is surrounded by limes, and an orange, and small bowls of mustard, salt, black pepper, garlic, and honey.

My Thoughts on Ingredient Subs

  • Extra virgin olive oil: I love the light, buttery flavor of the extra virgin olive oil in this recipe, but you can also use any other neutral flavored oil in its place like avocado, vegetable or canola oil.
  • Lime juice: ​​The fresh lime juice helps to tenderize and infuse the chicken with lots of zesty flavor. I do recommend using freshly squeezed juice since there are so few ingredients. You can substitute with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  • Orange juice: Fresh orange juice adds a touch of sweetness and lots of bright flavors. You can use tangerine or clementine juice instead.
  • Dijon mustard: I like the depth of flavor and subtle heat that Dijon mustard brings, and it helps the marinades texture, so wouldn’t recommend using another mustard.
  • Garlic cloves: Fresh minced garlic definitely elevates this simple recipe, but if you’re very short on time or don’t have any on hand, 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic powder can be substituted.
  • Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts work well in this recipe. Chicken thighs have a higher fat content which adds flavor when grilled.
Side angle shot of spooning sauce onto sliced grilled chicken on a white platter.

Let’s Answer a Few Burning Questions

Whenever there’s citrus or something acidic in a marinade, shorter marinade times are recommended because the acid can make the meat tougher when cooked. For best results marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 3 hours. You can freeze the marinade and uncooked chicken together for a super easy meal. Simply place the marinade, chicken, and water in a 1-gallon freezer bag and stick in the freezer. When you’re ready to use, defrost the chicken in the fridge and cook it immediately. This marinade is excellent with fish and shrimp, and with vegetables like zucchini and yellow squash. For fish, shrimp, or vegetables, just marinate for 30 minutes maximum.

Overhead shot of a glass bowl with oil, orange and lime zest, salt, and black pepper. Bowl is surrounded by limes, an orange, and a jar of honey.

This Recipe Is…

Overhead shot of a white platter with sliced, grilled chicken; a serving fork; fresh herbs; and orange and lime slices. Platter is surrounded by small bowls of lime and orange slices and chopped herbs, a striped towel, and jars of a yellow sauce and honey.
5 stars (2 ratings)

Juicy Chicken Mariande (Citrus Orange!)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Marinade Time: 10 minutes
This juicy chicken marinade featuring citrus produces the juiciest chicken–either breasts or thighs– and is oh-so delicious and simple to whip up! Made with a double-citrus blend of fresh lime and orange juice, it’s bursting with bright, zesty flavors and makes for tender chicken that can be grilled or baked.
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Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced, about 1 teaspoon lime zest and 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 Navel orange, zested and juiced, about 1 teaspoon orange zest and 4 tablespoons juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds chicken, 6-8 ounce each boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts

Equipment

Instructions 

Marinade Instructions

  • Whisk the olive oil, lime juice and zest, orange juice and zest, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.
  • Pour half of the lemon chicken marinade along with 2 tablespoons of water into a 1-gallon zip-top bag or baking dish. Set the remaining marinade aside to use as a drizzle once the chicken has been cooked.
  • Toss the chicken to coat, then press as much air out of the bag (if using) as possible, or cover with plastic wrap (if using a baking dish). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours, flipping occasionally.

Grilling Instructions

  • When ready to grill, heat a gas grill to high. Allow to preheat for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shake off any excess, and discard any remaining marinade from the bag or dish.
  • Grill, with the cover down, for 6-9 minutes, then flip, and grill uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 160F, about 2-6 additional minutes.
  • Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain into ½ inch slices, and serve drizzled with remaining marinade.

Baking Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 425°F. Add the chicken and marinade to a small baking dish. If you have a large baking dish or rimmed sheet pan, omit the marinade as it will spread and possibly burn. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until or until chicken thighs register 170F or chicken breasts register 165F.
  • Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain into ½ inch slices, or dice into pieces (if using for taco), serve, drizzled with reserved marinade, and serve.

Notes

A note about the nutrition information on this recipe, since we discard the marinade before grilling or baking it can be a little difficult to calculate.
See the full blog post above for ingredient substitutions, serving suggestions, and more.
Course: dinner, Marinade
Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 318kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 97mg, Sodium: 461mg, Potassium: 609mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 106IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition disclaimer
Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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