Clementine-Soy Glazed Chicken Breasts

Do you have any foods that you simply can’t eat because of some random bad experience in the past?  For me, that food is oranges.  It is a completely irrational food aversion, but I just can’t help it!

Then I ended up with all those extra Clementine Cuties that my son wouldn’t eat.  What could I possibly do? (I hate to be wasteful even more than I hate oranges!)

I’ve often seen marinades with orange juice and immediately passed them by, due to my aversion.  But faced with rapidly ripening Clementines, things were about to change.  I used them in this chicken recipe and it was phenomenal!   The chicken tasted lightly citrusy, but not orangey.  It is safe to say that oranges are creeping back into my diet!

Recipe Notes:

*If you can’t find clementines, use Naval oranges.  Just use fewer and cut them in quarters instead of halves.

Clementine-Soy Glazed Chicken Breasts

Adapted from Healthy. Delicious.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ lbs)

1 ½ tbsp green onions, white and a bit of green sliced

1 ½ tsp minced garlic

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp olive oil

Salt & pepper

5 Clementine oranges, halved

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 ½ tsp dark brown sugar

1 ½ tsp dry red wine

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (I used Convection Roast on my oven).

Combine the onions, garlic and ginger in a small bowl.  Then, use a sharp knife to make 4-5 slits across the top of each chicken breast (without going all the way through).  Rub each chicken breast with the onion mixture, pressing some of the mixture into each slit.

Place the chicken breasts into a small baking dish.  Then, drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper.  Place the Clementines, cut side up, around the chicken and roast for 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven.  Remove the Clementines and set aside.  Use a baster to carefully remove and discard any excess fat from the bottom of the baking dish.

Juice 6 of the Clementine halves into a small bowl.  Add the soy sauce, brown sugar and red wine and whisk to combine.  Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts and return to the oven.  Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.  Baste the chicken with the juices 2-3 times as it finishes cooking.

Remove the chicken from the baking dish and place on a serving platter with a foil tent to keep them warm.  Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan over high heat.  Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Serve the chicken with the reduced sauce and remaining Clementine halves.

Serves 4