Cilantro Orange Chicken is so flavorful, fresh, and not that much work - I absolutely recommend this quick and easy meal! Serve it with roasted bell peppers, a big batch of black beans, and maybe some rice or fried plantains (!!)
Recipe: $16.97 | Per Serving: $2.12 | Yield: 8
Why I Love Cilantro Orange Chicken
Because it doesn't take very long to put together and it's packed with flavor!
I've tried a few different variations of this dish, but I've found the cilantro orange chicken pairs best with black beans and roasted vegetables, so at least give it a try before you pair your chicken with other sides!
I can't wait to hear what you think!
Ingredients
Cilantro Orange Chicken
- Garlic
- Jalapeño (optional)
- Cilantro
- Freshly squeezed orange juice
- Dried oregano
- Cumin
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
- Salt
Don't forget to reserve some of your sauce for your veggies and topping at the end!
Roasted Vegetables
- Bell peppers (sweet are best, but a green one is good too)
- Optional: Zucchini, onions, broccoli, etc. to bulk up the veggie content
- Reserved cilantro orange sauce
Black Beans
- Onion
- Garlic
- Dried oregano
- Ground cumin
- Tomato paste
- Black beans (need about 2-3 cups cooked)
- Water
- Salt
How to Make Cilantro Orange Chicken
- You're basically going to blitz together the sauce, pour some of it over the chicken to marinade, pour some of it over the vegetables for roasting, and save the rest for topping when it's time to serve.
- Everything gets roasted in the oven and you can go about your business as it comes together.
- While the chicken and vegetables are cooking, stew together your black beans.
- If you're feeling ambitious, make some fried plantains!
- You can also double batch the sauce and freeze it in silicone ice cube trays to save for later.
FAQ & Dietary Restrictions
For those of you following a low-FODMAP diet, I would recommend just skipping the garlic in this dish. The cilantro and orange are potent enough to make it still super delicious!
Sure! I find it easier to roast the chicken and veggies in the oven at the same time because it means less cleanup and fewer appliances, but if you'd like to use your air fryer you're welcome to. Depending on how high your air fryer's setting goes, you may have to cook the chicken longer.
If you'd like to add a little more spice to this dish, you can add tajin to the sauce. I would personally only add it to the sauce that is drizzled over the dish at the end, not the marinade.
Paleo: Yes, without rice or beans.
Vegetarian: No, but you could still make the sauce and the vegetables and serve it with the black beans and it would be totally vegan.
Whole30: Yes, the chicken and veggies are! Don't add rice, beans, or plantains.
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Additional Recipes Using Chicken, Beans, and Vegetables
- Black Beans with Kale
- Easy Orange Chicken Rice Bowls
- Overnight Stewed Black Beans
- Poached Eggs over Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
- Roasted Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese
I hope you enjoy this recipe - and if you make it, please be sure to leave a ⭐️ review and comment below!
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Cilantro Orange Chicken with Black Beans and Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño optional, stem removed
- 1 bunch cilantro 3-4 cups
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice about 1-3 oranges
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
For the Chicken:
- 2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- salt
For the Peppers:
- 2 pounds bell peppers about 4-5, (sweet are best, but a green one is good too)
- optional: 1 pound zucchini to bulk up the veg content
For the (Optional) Cuban Black Beans:
- ½ medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ Tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cans black beans need about 2-3 cups cooked
- 1 cup water about
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- For the Sauce: Cut the jalapeño into chunks, removing ribs and seeds if desired. Combine the garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped. Add the orange juice, spices, and olive oil and blend just until well combined.
- For the Chicken: Spread the chicken out in a large casserole dish and lightly salt both sides. Cover with about ⅓ - ½ a cup of the sauce, moving the chicken around to make sure you get the tops and bottoms. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes, or up to two hours. (If you marinate chicken in a citrus marinade for too long, it might start to “cook” the chicken and it will turn out tough. 2 hours is usually the max.)
- For the peppers: remove the seeds and stems and chop into 1-inch bite-sized pieces. Toss with about ¼ cup of the sauce and spread out on a large silicone-lined baking sheet. (Combine with chopped zucchini before roasting if desired.)
- When the oven is to temp and the chicken has been marinating at least 20 minutes, place both the chicken and the peppers in the oven. The chicken should take about 18-20 minutes, and the peppers will take about 20.
- Feel free to use a meat thermometer to check the chicken temperature to be sure. (You could also roast these all together in one dish if you want to save on dishes!)
- For the black beans: In a large pot, sauté the onion until soft and fragrant, add the minced garlic for another minute, stirring well. Add the oregano, cumin, and tomato paste and stir until combined. Add the drained black beans, water, and salt. Simmer until most of the water has evaporated and the beans are somewhat stew-like. You can smash some against the side of the pot if desired. Taste and add more salt if needed.
It wasn't bad, but it was actually very bland compared to what I expected. I think it could be improved with a bit of lemon juice to give it a bit more kick
Great tip! Thank you!
Did you ever try this with breasts?
I have not personally made this with chicken breasts! I think the best option would be to cook the marinated chicken breasts separately from the other ingredients so you can ensure they don't overcook. If you try it let us know, but I will try to test it soon!