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These Herb & Citrus Roast Chicken Breasts are a low fuss dish that requires less than 10 minutes of hands on prep. The oranges and lemons become caramelized as they cook and the chicken is moist, tender and so flavourful. These Citrus Roast Chicken Breasts are Paleo, Whole30, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet. 

Citrus & Herb Chicken

WHY YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS HERB & CITRUS CHICKEN 

  • It’s low fuss! Simply put everything into a baking dish and put it into the oven to cook, the hands on prep time is less than 10 minutes.
  • It looks fancy and is a great dish to serve to guests, but is easy enough to make for weeknight dinner for the family. 
  • The combination of orange, lemon and herbs is fresh and aromatic. 
  • It’s super versatile, you can use different cuts of chicken or add more veggies to the pan for roasting.
  • It’s healthy! This Citrus Chicken is Paleo, Whole30, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.  

Citrus Chicken

WHAT CUT OF CHICKEN WORKS BEST FOR THIS CITRUS ROAST CHICKEN?

I love bone-in skin-in chicken breasts for this Citrus & Herb Chicken because you get lots of white meat, and only a little bit of bone, plus the added bonus of the skin which is so flavourful. Cooking the breasts on the bone results in super moist meat, compared to boneless chicken breasts which can dry out if cooked too long. 

 

CAN I USE CHICKEN THIGHS, LEGS OR BONELESS BREASTS INSTEAD?

You can substitute the bone-in skin-on chicken breasts for any other cut of chicken that you prefer, the cooking time will just have to be adjusted. Below are the recommended cooking times for other cuts of chicken:

  • Boneless Chicken Breasts: cook for 20-25 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit
  • Bone-in Chicken Thighs: cook for 35 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit
  • Boneless Chicken Thighs: cook for 25-30 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit
  • Chicken Drumsticks: cook for 35-40 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit

 

WHAT’S IN THE SAUCE?

The sauce is really the star of this Citrus & Herb Chicken, it adds so much flavour and the perfect balance of citrus, spice, garlic and herbs. To make the sauce you need:

  • Orange Juice: If you have extra oranges you can squeeze the juice out of one orange or used bottled orange juice. 
  • Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice from half a lemon or bottled lemon juice both work in this recipe. 
  • Garlic: Always use fresh rather than the chopped garlic you can buy in a bottle, it has less flavour. 
  • Shallots: Finely diced shallots give the sauce some texture which sticks to the chicken. Be sure to dice the shallots very very finely. If you don’t have shallots, they can be substituted with finely diced yellow or red onion. 
  • Oregano: I used dried but fresh works too! Just be sure to finely chop the fresh leaves. 
  • Paprika: I recommend using sweet paprika but the flavour of smoked paprika also works in this sauce. 

 

SHOULD I USE FRESH OR DRIED HERBS

I like using fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary in this dish as I think they bring nice colour to the dish. If you don’t have fresh  you can sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme and rosemary over the chicken and veggies. For the oregano use 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano or 1 1/2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh oregano. 

 

 

CAN I ADD IN OTHER VEGETABLES TO THIS CITRUS CHICKEN?

I kept the recipe for this Citrus & Herb Chicken simple and only included red onion, but feel free to add in other vegetables. Other vegetables that can be added to the baking pan include baby potatoes, carrots cut into 1-inch pieces, cubed butternut squash or sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts or sliced fennel.  

 

WHAT SIZE BAKING DISH SHOULD I USE?

Either a sheet pan or baking dish work for these Citrus Roasted Chicken Breasts, I just recommend using one large enough for the chicken and citrus slices to fit snugly. Based on the size of the chicken breasts I used and amount of citrus slices a 13 x 9 inch baking dish worked perfectly for me, but if you are using chicken thighs, or drumsticks you may need a smaller dish or sheet pan. 

 

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Oranges

 

HOW TO TELL WHEN THE CITRUS CHICKEN IS DONE

To ensure the roast chicken breasts are perfectly cooked I like using a meat thermometer. For any cut of chicken, insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part and the chicken is done when it reads 165° Fahrenheit (74° Celsius). If you do not have a meat thermometer, use a knife to cut into the thickest part of the chicken, the the juices run clear then the chicken is done cooking, if the juices are red or pink then the chicken needs to be cooked for longer.  

 

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS HERB & CITRUS CHICKEN

These Citrus Roasted Chicken Breasts are incredibly versatile and can be served with anything from a salad, to cauliflower mash, veggies or rice. Here is a list of dishes that would be a great accompaniment to the citrus roast chicken.

Citrus Chicken

 

CAN I MAKE THIS HERB & CITRUS CHICKEN IN ADVANCE

This Herb & Citrus Roasted Chicken is a great dish to prep in advance. The oranges, lemons and red onion can be cut, placed in the baking dish and tossed in the sauce along with the chicken up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge. An hour before serving simply pop the dish into the oven to bake for 45 minutes. 

 

WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVER ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS

Leftover Roasted Chicken Breasts will last for up to 4 days in the fridge and are best reheated in the oven for 6-8 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit or until the chicken is warmed through. 

 

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Oranges

 

Here are a few more one pan chicken recipes that you might enjoy:

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!

Citrus & Herb Chicken

Every Last Bite
This Citrus & Herb Chicken is a low fuss dish that requires less than 10 minutes of hands on prep. The oranges and lemons become caramelized as they cook and the chicken is moist, tender and so flavourful.
4.75 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Grocery List
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp honey (optional - omit for Whole30)
  • 1 shallot finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 3/4 tsp paprika
  • 4 bone in skin on chicken breasts
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 red onion

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  • In a bowl whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, diced shallot, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Set aside
  • Thinly slice the oranges and lemons and cut the red onion into wedges. Arrange the orange and lemon slices and red onion wedges on a 13 x 9 inch baking dish or small sheet pan. Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the citrus and red onion and toss with your hands to ensure they are all well coated. Add in the thyme and rosemary sprigs
  • Arrange the chicken breast over the citrus and pour the remaining sauce over the chicken. Use your hands to rub the sauce all over each breast.
  • Place the dish in the oven to cook for 45 minutes. Half way through cooking spoon some of the juices from the bottom of the pan over the chicken. The chicken will be done cooking when the juices run clear when sliced into and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!

Roasted Chicken Breasts with Oranges