Zesty Citrus Chicken

I was sitting in my kitchen trying to decide what to do with a bunch of skinless boneless chicken breasts.  That’s when I spotted the bowl of limes and lemons I keep behind the sink (mainly for decoration) but in this case it was my new recipe!  I took 2 limes and 2 lemons and wallah – I have zesty citrus chicken!

Not only is this easy, but it’s also very healthy.  You get great flavor from the citrus marinade, and not a lot of fat since you pan sear it in just a little olive oil.  It reminded me of the beginning of summer as the smell of fresh lemons sifted through my kitchen.  I also love all the specks of color you got from the citrus zest.   It’s easy, healthy and flavorful, and best of all I made it with my kitchen adornment!

Ingredients

• 6-8 skinless boneless chicken tenders (if you get whole breasts, just slice them in half, this way they take less time to cook and they stay moist and tender)
• 2 limes, juice and zest
• 2 lemons, juice and zest
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• pinch of salt
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion flakes
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method

• Combine all the ingredients above (except the chicken) in bowl and whisk
• Once mixed, add chicken and make sure each piece gets coated.  Cover with saran wrap and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours (I usually leave it overnight)
• Remove chicken from fridge 15 minutes before cooking, so it can warm up just a bit
• Heat non stick pan to medium high and add a tsp of olive oil
• Once pan is hot, add chicken strips (it should sizzle)
• Cook for 4-5 minutes and then flip; they’ll be slightly golden on the bottom, white half way up and the top will still be pink.  If you’re cooking full breasts, you’ll need to cook them for longer, about 8 minutes per side.
• Flip and cook an additional 4-5 minutes
• The chicken is done when it’s no longer pink in the middle (you can take one piece out and cut into it to check)  You can also use a meat thermometer; chicken is done at 165 degrees.
• Serve with a side of rice or potatoes and some greens
• Enjoy!

Tags: chicken, citrus, easy, fast, garlic, healthy, kid, lemon, lime, low fat, marinade, onion, parsley, pepper, red pepper, salt, simple, summer, tenders, zest, zesty