My brand spanking new cayenne rosemary orange marmalade chicken is a less than 30-minute meal that tastes like it took hours to make, y'all. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, seasoned to perfection. Then, browned and steamed in a skillet for just a few minutes before being topped with the quick, super easy sauce. And then covered and broiled for a quick, compressed cook that combines the flavors beautifully into one restaurant-worthy meal that you'll want to put on permanent main dish repeat. Yep and yay...
I Just Had That Chicken Marmalade Feeling, Y'all...
Have you ever had a random food memory that led to a craving so big that you were beside yourself until you finally got the chance to put it in your mouth? Well, this is exactly what happened to me the other day.
I was just sitting here, immersed in something else. Then, all of a sudden I had a flashback of eating orange marmalade as a child. I remember taking the lid off of the jar in the fridge. And then placing as much as I could on a spoon before popping it into my mouth.
Well, y'all, I remember my young self's mouth surprise very, very well. I was anticipating all sweet goodness. But, as you all know, orange marmalade is just as bitter as it is sweet. So, just when you think you can't handle the bitter anymore the sweetness pops up. And then when you think 'it's just too sweet' a bitter flavor balance arises to make your mouth go 'aaahhhh' again.
I truly believe that this bittersweet orange marmalade balance is what makes it so special. And why it remains a classic item that goes right in your grocery cart when you see it in the store. Because if you love it as I do, you'll want to relish it in many different ways.
And I'm always, always developing new and original chicken recipes. So, this orange marmalade memory craving led me right into the kitchen to see how I could marry it to my favorite meat ASAP.
The result was this grain and gluten free cayenne rosemary orange marmalade chicken. It's kinda like Chinese takeout chicken but a bit more pungent. It features earthy flavors from the rosemary and parsley, and a spicy kick from the cayenne. And of course, this dish highlights orange marmalade, which enhances the other flavors yet still stands out prominently on its own.
This dish is sooo good, y'all. And the best part of it all is its simplicity. It really is truly something special. And I'm pretty confident that you're going to love it just as much as we do around here. Indeed.
How to Make Cayenne Rosemary Orange Marmalade Chicken
Start the cayenne rosemary orange marmalade chicken by preheating your broiler. Then, trim the excess fat from the boneless, skinless chicken thighs and season them liberally. Set aside:
Next, pour all of the cayenne rosemary orange marmalade sauce ingredients into a bowl:
And stir until well combined:
Place the seasoned chicken thighs into a well-greased enameled cast iron skillet:
And brown the thighs lightly on both sides:
Now, add a bit of GF chicken broth to the skillet. Cover, and let cook for just 2 to 3 minutes. This will steam the chicken and shave a lot of minutes off of its broiling time:
Finally, uncover the skillet and transfer it to the oven, and broil until done:
And that's it, y'all!
The first thing that you notice about the cayenne rosemary orange marmalade chicken is the amazingly orangy taste. It's so strong, but in the best way possible. Both the bitter and the sweet marmalade notes hit your tongue, doing a palate dance that just gets better and better with each bite.
Then, the pops of cayenne and rosemary rise off of the back of your throat. And just as you're relishing in those flavors, you taste the hints of liquid smoke and molasses. By this time, your eyes are straight rolling in the back of your head. And, if you're like Mark and me, you have absolutely no shame in licking the sauce off of your fingers til it's all, all gone.
By the time you're done with your plate, all of your sweet, salty, and smoky cravings have been satisfied. You're full as a tick. And you'll probably be wondering how fast you can make this dish again to food-love your family and friends. Yep.
Share this cayenne rosemary orange marmalade chicken with those whose sweetness makes you pucker up with joy. Much love, and see y'all on the yum side...
Cayenne Rosemary Orange Marmalade Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
For the Chicken Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
For the Cayenne Rosemary Orange Marmalade Sauce
- 1 cup orange marmalade
- 1 ½ teaspoons molasses
- 2 ½ teaspoons Crystal hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon gluten free liquid smoke (I use Colgin)
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
For the Cayenne Rosemary Orange Marmalade Chicken
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- ¼ cup gluten free chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler.
- Trim the excess fat from the boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Season the thighs with the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Stir all of the cayenne rosemary orange marmalade sauce ingredients until well-combined in a bowl. Set aside.
- Brown one side of the seasoned chicken thighs in the butter or oil in an enameled cast iron skillet set over medium heat.
- Turn the thighs over, and brown the other side.
- When browned to your liking (I like really light browning), add the ¼ cup of gluten free chicken broth.
- Cover the skillet and let steam for 2 minutes.
- Uncover the skillet, and pour the orange marmalade sauce over the chicken thighs.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven carefully wearing large oven mitts.
- Broil the orange marmalade chicken for 5 to 8 minutes, or until a digital thermometer placed inside of the thickest thigh reads 165 degrees F, and the top is browned to your liking.
- Remove the skillet from the oven very carefully.
- Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
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