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Summer dinners are meant to be simple, flavorful, and enjoyed outside—preferably with your favorite people and a refreshing drink in hand. And this Grilled Asian Orange Chicken fits the bill perfectly! It’s sweet, savory, citrusy, and just the right amount of spicy. Whether you serve it with jasmine rice, a crisp salad, or wrap it up in lettuce leaves, it’s a dish you’ll come back to all summer long.
My summer plans often include my husband grilling us dinner. It’s one of my favorite times of year without having to do much cooking! And while we love our Rosemary Balsamic Chicken and Grilled Chicken Shawarma Bowls, this Asian-inspired orange chicken has quickly earned a top spot in our summer rotation!
If you’re looking for an easy grilled chicken recipe that tastes like something from your favorite Asian restaurant but made with wholesome pantry staples, this Grilled Asian Orange Chicken is it. Keep it in your weekly rotation and pair it with your favorite sides for a complete, nourishing meal. It’s a standout dish, perfect for anyone diving into seasonal grilling favorites that never get old.
Let’s Get Cooking – Easy Steps for Delicious Grilled Chicken
- Make the marinade: In a jar or bowl, mix together tamari (or coconut aminos), orange juice and zest, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, curry powder, and red pepper flakes.
- Marinate the chicken: Add chicken to a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour the marinade over. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes, but for the best flavor, aim for up to 8 hours in the fridge.
- Grill the chicken: Preheat your grill and cook chicken over medium-high heat for about 6-7 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Don’t toss the marinade! Pour it into a small saucepan and boil for at least 3 minutes to kill any bacteria. The sauce will reduce slightly and become the perfect glaze to drizzle over the cooked chicken.
A few important tips:
Boiling and reducing the marinade not only makes it safe to eat, it intensifies the flavor—hello, next-level sauce!
Freshly squeezed orange juice and zest give this dish a clean, vibrant flavor you won’t get from store-bought juice. It’s worth the extra step!
Serving:
There are so many ways to enjoy this recipe:
- With jasmine or cauliflower rice
- Over a crisp Asian slaw (we love this combo!)
- Stuffed into lettuce wraps for a low-carb option
- Paired with grilled veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, or asparagus
- Sliced on top of a big green salad with a sesame vinaigrette
Bonus idea: Make extra and use the leftovers in wraps or lunch bowls the next day—it reheats beautifully.
Grilled Asian Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1-3 tbsp honey*
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Juice of 1 orange or 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 4 large chicken breasts
Instructions
- For the marinade: Combine all the ingredients except the chicken in small bowl and whisk together.
- Place marinade into a large ziploc bag or container with a lid, and add the chicken. Marinade for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 8 hours.
- Prepare your grill, and once heated, place the chicken breasts on the grill. Reserve the marinade.
- While the chicken is grilling, place marinade into a small saucepan and boil for about 2-3minutes (sauce will be reduced and thickened).
- Grill chicken for 5-8 minutes per side or until the inside is no longer pink.
- Drizzle sauce on top of each breast.
So good!
This marinade was awesome – I totally forgot about the extra sauce, and thought the chicken was amazing. Then I remembered the sauce… drool.
Made this using a large package of chicken thighs. Had leftovers cut up on salad throughout the week! Love the Asian flare.
The sauce and marinade was so good! Definitely a new summer favorite.
I followed exactly the recipe and it was good. Will do it again.
So delicious! I added about 2 tablespoons of olive Oil to the marinade, I put salt and pepper on both sides of chicken before grilling. I also grilled over indirect heat with just about a minute or less per side over direct heat at the end to caramel i.e. And get some grill marks. The boiled marinade was so delicious not only over the chicken, bot also on the grilled veggies I did at the same time. This is a real winner!
So glad you enjoyed it Anne!!