Grilled Chipotle Orange Chicken Thighs
Grilling season makes mealtime so easy, especially with recipes like Grilled Chipotle Orange Chicken Thighs! This chicken is so flavorful with simple ingredients - fresh orange, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, olive oil, and garlic - and so fast to make.
Grilling season is upon us and I love this time of year SO much! Not only do I love the delicious grilled meats and vegetables, but I love cooking outside. Oh and not getting my kitchen dirty? Definite bonus! Chicken is one of those grilled meats that I love getting creative with. There are so many marinades and rubs that you can put on chicken to give it any flavor you like. Chipotle Orange Chicken Thighs are seriously bursting with so much flavor and the ingredients are so, so simple!
Ingredients in Grilled Chipotle Orange Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Thighs - I love grilling chicken thighs, but you can use chicken tenders or chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Olive Oil
- Oranges - fresh oranges are used in this recipe for their juice and zest for maximum orange flavor!
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce - chipotles add some heat and smokiness to the chicken.
- Garlic
- Salt
Chicken Breast vs. Chicken Thighs
I love both chicken breasts and thighs, but if I had to choose a favorite, it would be chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are super easy to grill, don't run quite as much of a risk of getting dried out as chicken breasts, and they cook a little faster, too. Just like chicken breasts, chicken thighs soak up any flavor that you add to them.
How to Make Grilled Chipotle Orange Chicken Thighs
As I've mentioned a few times, this recipe is super easy to prep and grill. To start, add the orange juice, olive oil, orange zest, chipotle in adobo sauce, and salt to a bowl and stir well to combine. One note for the peppers: I like to put a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a food processor and blend until pureed. Then I will use that sauce for the marinade. I freeze the leftovers and then cut off what I need for future recipes. You can also chop up the peppers finely. Either works!
Next, combine the chicken thighs and marinade and marinate for at least 30 minutes. I prefer doing this in the morning and giving it a solid 4-8 hours to marinate.
When you're ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken thighs for 4-5 minutes on each side, until they are cooked through to 165 degrees F. Serve and enjoy!
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Grilled Chipotle Orange Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs about 6-8 chicken thighs
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon chipotle en adobo sauce (you can just get the saucy part from the canned chipotles en adobo sauce or you can puree the whole can - peppers and sauce - and use that, freezing the leftovers)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in a Tupperware or Ziploc baggie.
- In a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest ,olive oil, chipotle en adobo sauce, minced garlic, and salt.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and mix well to combine.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes or ideally, 4-8 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Serve and enjoy!
