Orange Rosemary Chicken
Orange Rosemary Chicken makes for one epic flavorful and satisfying dish. Chicken thighs roasted until crisp-tender and so juicy. Covered with a zesty orange rosemary glaze.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 chicken thighs (bones-in and skin)
- 1.5 tsp pink sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1.5 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
Glaze
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 rosemary sprigs
Garnish
- 1 orange sliced
- rosemary sprigs
Instructions
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Preheat oven at 400 degrees F. Mince garlic and finely chop rosemary. Squeeze fresh oranges measuring out 2/3-3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice.
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In a measuring cup combine all ingredients for orange-rosemary glaze; orange juice, avocado oil, honey, salt, orange zest, minced garlic, and finely chopped rosemary. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
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Pat dry chicken thighs and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Mix chicken thighs making sure they are well coated with spices.
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Place skillet on stovetop and bring to a heat on medium-high heat. Drizzle avocado oil over heated skillet making sure it is evenly coated. Start placing chicken thighs on heated surface. Place chicken thighs skin down first. Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and cook again for another 2-3 minutes. Cook in batches if needed. Chicken doesn't have to be fully cooked at this point. Just enough to get a light golden color going and juices flowing.
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Arrange all cooked chicken in skillet once again placing thighs skin side down. Pour glaze over chicken making sure the top is well coated. Place in over and roast for 45 minutes.
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Remove Chicken from oven. Use tongs to flip each chicken thigh over. Use a spoon to pour some of the glaze in the bottom of the skillet over each thigh. Serve and garnish with fresh orange slices and rosemary sprigs. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tip and Substitutions:
- Cook thighs on stovetop for instructed time- The chicken doesn't have to be completely cooked on the stovetop. Just enough to get a light brown color going and juices flowing. It will finish cooking while it roasts in the oven. You don't want to overcook your chicken. It will get a rubbery texture.
- Cook chicken thighs skin down first- Cooking chicken thighs skin down renders fats. This results in juicier and more tender chicken.
- No honey?- Substitute for maple syrup.
- No avocado oil?- Substitute for any preferred oil like coconut oil.
- Use freshly squeezed orange juice- will give the chicken a much better fresh taste and flavor.
- Cook chicken thighs on stovetop in batches- depending on how large your skillet is, all the thighs may not fit. Cook them in batches to avoid crowding and you can have enough room to flip them.
- Use other parts of the chicken for this recipe- Chicken thighs tend to pack more flavor making them great for this recipe. The skin and bones allow for more juices to build up and contribute to the added flavor of the chicken. However, if you prefer to use other parts of the chicken like the breasts or drumsticks, you can use those too. You can also use boneless and skinless thighs.