Beer Glazed Citrus Chicken with Orange Arugula Greens.
Oh hi. Here is proof that I didn’t live on the couch all last week.
I need this solid evidence for myself. Because for the past three days we pretty much DID live on the couch in a Netflix haze. Did you know that gummy fish, yogurt pretzels and leftover pizza can last dayssss if you really don’t want to move?
Also: a bag of Dove dark chocolate mint swirled squares last about seven seconds. It’s so weird how that works.
So last week I made chicken three times in five days. Sifting through my winter funk is causing my dinner recipe brain to, well… disappear, and it’s like I totally forget how to cook. Wasn’t it just two weeks ago that we basically ate a week full of meatballs? Yes it was.
In the last two weeks I’ve also made fish tacos twice. And eaten this garlic toast egg combo about five times. PULL ME OUT OF THIS SLUMP! I want to be eating all the things.
This is what did it though.
This chicken. Oh so good. Sucking me out of the slump one juicy bite at a time.
Let’s talk about how to make a delicious chicken skillet. Because clearly I can’t teach you how to pour a proper glass full of beer considering that mine still come out half foam.
Might have to do with that whole lack of patience thing. Maybe.
Chicken I can do. Beer I cannot.
If you’ve been reading, you know we’re constantly on a quest to find a new favorite chicken recipe. Or at least keep things interesting and exciting with chicken. This has been a goal for years and years. What I can flavor it with or what can I stick it in? I mean, like tacos or whatever. I’ll just stop.
But it’s because I get soooo bored.
Luckily, it’s one of my favorite times of year and it makes cooking easier: winter citrus season! While grapefruits are my number one, I prefer those for pure snacking. Oranges tend to have too much pith for my liking and – of course – there is that whole patience thing again so yeah. I cook with them or juice them more than eating them straight up.
Anyhoo. My go-to key for cooking chicken in a skillet (preferably cast iron) is fairly high heat. I want that skillet to be HOT and once I throw the chicken on there, I keep it there. I actually exercise the patience that I do not have and refuse to flip the chicken for at least two minutes, sometimes longer. I want that deep, golden color which simply translates to FLAVOR. Flavor flavor flavor. It’s like my lifelong search.
I have been on the boring, flavorless, dry, always-tastes-the-same chicken train and quite frankly, it sucks. Lots of seasoning and high heat searing is what saves me every singe time.
And!
Another one of this season’s obsessions has been baby arugula. I mentioned it weeks ago and it’s sticking. Regardless of what we are eating for dinner, I’ve reeeeeally been trying to make a little salad to go with it and 99% of the time that consists of an arugula base. I’m convinced it has something to do with my weird infatuation with bitter vegetables like kale and brussels sprouts when I don’t even like normal people vegetables such as carrots and celery. The pepperiness just gets me.
And this chicken is sort of sweet, a little tangy and compliments it perfectly. I don’t want to even tell you that it’s my new favorite… but you know the drill.
Beer Glazed Citrus Chicken with Orange Arugula Greens
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of your favorite beer, I prefer a wheat version
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 3 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, and/or drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
orange arugula greens
- 6 cups baby arugula
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tangerine or orange, segmented
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeeze orange juice
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine 1/4 cup of beer, orange juice, marmalade, zest and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thick, for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet (I like cast iron) over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, searing on both sides until deeply golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. After the second side is seared, add the 1/4 cup of beer to the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour in the orange mixture and turn off the heat.
- Place the chicken in the oven uncovered and bake for 20 minutes. Every 5 minutes, baste the chicken with the glaze in the bottom of the pan. Serve with greens.
orange arugula greens
- Combine arugula, tangerine and onion in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk together the oil, juice, vinegar, salt and pepper until combined, then pour half on the greens and toss well to coat. Save the mixture for extra dressing if desired. Sprinkle the pine nuts on the salad and toss once more. Serve immediately with the chicken.
Did you make this recipe?
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just look at that color!
81 Comments on “Beer Glazed Citrus Chicken with Orange Arugula Greens.”
I have been the same way with dinners. I need more sunshine.. and this chicken, obviously!
I have eaten quinoa and smoked paprika rubbed tilapia with cilantro and lime literally for almost 2 weeks straight…I feel ya!
I would have never combined citrus with beer..but WHY NOT.
I love anything with glaze…so I love this.
Wow…that chicken is perfection. You come up with the most amazing flavor combinations, Jessica!
I love bitter veggies like brussles and kale and the peppery factor of arugula is great. I love your tips and discussing about high heat searing. This glaze, the beer, the citrus, oh that sounds so good!
There us nothing like char on meat to get the stomach juice going. I have a thing for almost too black meat; seriously some people are missing out. That glaze is something i have to try! Looks too good for words
I was actually hoping you were on the couch relaxing and editing your manuscript. You deserve some relaxation time, ya know that, girl?? xo
We’re chicken in cast iron skillet twins today! Yes, that’s a thing. A blog thang.
Always looking for a fresh chicken recipe! Well, I should say that I’m always looking for a fresh chicken recipe that my husband will appreciate. I think he would appreciate this one, especially because it’s doused in beer! Duh!
Dana Ivy
http://www.iadorewhatilove.com – Check out my blog!
Wow, your dish looks incredible!!! Perfect for din, din tonight! I love the combo of flavors you have going on and the pictures are just beautiful!!
I’m glad I’m not the only one. I’ve decided that when I’m obsessed with something I’m just going to make it over and over again until I’m sick of it, because why not? For the last two weeks it was this popped quinoa and cheesy eggs: http://spabettie.com/2011/05/06/popped-quinoa-and-cheesy-eggs/ … I make 2 cups of quinoa at the start of the week and have this meal sometimes twice a day. (Although I usually have it without cheese, still good. Mmm, runny eggs.)
Is it boneless chicken or bone-in? Recipe says boneless, pics look like thighs and drumsticks with bones. Thanks!! Looks yummy xx
boneless thighs – though i did throw in 2 extra drumsticks that i had in my fridge (that’s why i included the option in the recipe.)
Hmm..your weekend sounds a lot like mine. We just starting watching House of Cards and are already like 6-7 episodes in, which says a LOT for how productive our weekend was. And I was eating sour patch kids, Reese’s, and drowning in Mexican Tortilla Soup.
How do you have the patience for grapefruits?! Do you not cut out each section? Maybe it’s just crazies like me who do that, but I definitely find oranges (or clementines!) the least aggravating citrus fruit.
This chicken looks amazing!! I feel like I’ve said this a ton here, but you come up with the most interesting flavor profiles. I cannot wait to try this!!
i use a grapefruiit spoon! it’s a serrated spoon and it’s so easy to eat them. i know some people like to eat their grapefruits segmented but i’m not really a fan of it.
Still trying to figure out what’s wrong with a Netflix haze, but perhaps that’s because I’m in a Netflix induced fog myself. Dexter will do that to ya. #everyepisode.
In my 25 years I have not yet been able to acquire a taste for beer, but chicken, citrus and arugula, I can do! (And maybe a couple of gummy fish as well…. or 20.) ;)
I’m sitting here trying to think of what my “Meat & Potato” husband said about
arugula ……oh yes, is that food for the Guinea pigs?
I’ll just have to disguise it and give him an extra beer.Ha,ha,ha!
I know he’ll love the chicken ,thinking I pulled the grill out into the banks of snow,which by the way we have one at least 12 feet high,thanks to the plows!
This will change up my last week of ” pasta 7 ways”.
We are currently in an obsessive rice phase: fried, skillets, underneath saucy things. Time to SWITCH-IT-UP! Citrus + beer to save the day.
This looks amazing! I love chicken thighs and am always looking for new recipes using them…they’re sooo much more flavorful than chicken breasts.
Gorgeous pictures!
I don’t feel as bad about myself watching Netflix all weekend knowing you did too. :-)
Oh this looks delicious!!!I also prefer bitter veggies….especially for salads. Just something about kale and arugula makes everything so much tastier.
Your chicken looks gorgeous :) I am loving all of the citrus right now.
357 degree oven… =D
Oh my gosh, I so relate to your feelings about chicken. It is such a boring food!! Not a fan at all unless its really doctored up. Chicken needs much help. Can’t wait to try this. Sounds so spring-y, something we are all ready for!
I eat arugula every single day. Seriously. Every. Single. Day. So good for being what is basically foliage. Haha.
This looks DELICIOUS. I’ve been pan-searing more and more and agree, the flavor is great. I can’t wait to try this asap!
– Amy
I am so doing this recipe this week!
And I’m excited for season 2 of House of Cards too! (Haven’t started yet, though.) I want Claire Underwood’s wardrobe…
I am so with you – I can’t convince myself to like “normal” veggies and lettuce in salads and other raw applications, but I’m all over a raw kale salad or roasted brussels. This, like everything you share, looks delicious!
Yyyeeeesssssss. I’m very very lazy when it comes to weeknight dinners so I basically wanna take this sauce/marinade and toss it in a crockpot with some chicken. HEAVEN. I want it right now.
Is it weird that I just wanna lick the chicken? Sometimes I’m strange and lick the flavor off of Doritos before I eat them. …
Yaya!!! Just what i needed for our dinner rut!! This looks wonderful
Ok our weather and this recipe is slowiy pulling me out of my slump too!
Supposed to be in the 70 & 80’s here all week! Time to pull out the grill.
I love my cast iron pan for chicken and other meats too, the flavor cannot be beat!
This is going on my menu for next week. I am suffering from the winter blues, but thankfully it is mid 40’s here today AND the sun is shining…bonus! Oh and now I have to go buy a bag of Dove dark chocolate mint squares:)
That looks so good. Definitely pinned it to my Pinterest board!
Also, is it just me, or do the juices that chicken is is look like something you just want to sop up with a piece of bread?
Just me? OK.
What an exciting new way for chicken! Love the addition of orange!
This dish is gorgoeus! Love your beer citrus glaze!
I can’t wait to make this. I too am crushing on arugula lately. BTW tilting the glass so the beer goes down the side (not splashing into the bottom) is the key to pouring a perfect beer.
That perfect char is calling my name. Oh my, I’ve been so lazy this winter. I blame it on the cold.
I just stumbled upon this new veggie this morning and it made me think of you!!
http://www.thekitchn.com/kale-brussels-sprouts-had-a-love-child-and-its-facename-is-brusselkale-200275?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Kitchn+21714+-+Baked+Spaghetti+Squash+Carbonara&utm_content=Kitchn+21714+-+Baked+Spaghetti+Squash+Carbonara+CID_525bf78c70d201bf2e956b880b77e39f&utm_source=email_newsletter&utm_term=Kale%20and%20Brussels%20Sprouts%20Had%20a%20Baby%20Meet%20BrusselKale
I used to make something similar years ago but with coca cola and apricot jam not fried though. The kids love it and my 43 year old son keeps asking me to make it again but I won’t forget 12 people!!!!!! We had it on mashed potatoes.
I made a lovely whole chicken yesterday. I mixed 8 garlic cloves salt pepper and chilli flakes with butter. Smeared it all over inside under the skin and roasted it at 150 degrees C for 2 hours.
It was sooooo good.
Oh oh I forgot. Boneless chicken drumsticks?
Beer you pour with the glass tilted but you know that of course. :-)
I LOVE craft beer, so this dish is totally calling my name, sounds soooooo good!
Wow, this chicken looks do delicious! Does it matter if you use a darker brew?
I can almost smell this; it looks delicious!
xo Jennifer
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
My boyfriend was just complaining how tired he is of chicken (fine with me, I don’t eat meat) so I think I’ll try this recipe on him to get him out of this slump.
Um, yeah – this looks amazing! I’ve been on a cooking binge recently. Four recipes in two weeks. Sorry, not sorry? :)
I love chicken :) :D If want a heavenly and delectable dish, this is for you. It really melts in the mouth and this definitely one of the best recipe for your special someone.
I’ve been looking for chicken recipes this week … and citrus recipes … separately, but hey even better that this mixes the two! I learnt a great new simple recipe from your post today, but I also learnt this (confirmed in your comments section): I need to watch House of Cards!
Wow, this chicken looks incredibly delicious! Love the addition of citrus!
Stop making things I want to eat!
Fine. You win. I’m making this tonight.
That is a gorgeous glaze. I’m a sucker for thighs.