Baja Chicken
These Baja Skillet Chicken are juicy, flavorful chicken breasts marinated in a bright citrus blend of orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and warm Baja-style spices, then seared to golden perfection in a hot skillet. Top with fresh pico de gallo, sliced avocado, and lime crema for a simple and easy dinner your whole family is sure to love. Ready in just 15 minutes of cook time!
Servings: 4
Calories: 293kcal
Equipment
- Food processor or high-speed blende
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 pound 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ½ teaspoon lime zest
- ½ cup orange juice about 1 large orange
- ¼ cup lime juice about 2 limes
- 1 small white onion roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Mild Pico De Gallo optional for serving
- 1 avocado sliced, optional for serving
- Fresh chopped cilantro optional for garnish
- Lime crema optional for garnish
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add orange zest, lime zest, orange juice, lime juice, onions, garlic, tomato paste, cumin,
- chili powder, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Process ingredients until smooth.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and mix by hand until it's fully coated. Cover the
- bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or up to 12
- hours.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the
- chicken from the marinade and place the chicken in the skillet. Discard the marinade.
- Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side, undisturbed, until an instant-read meat
- thermometer reads 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the chicken and top with pico de gallo, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, and lime
- crema, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
● Don’t skip the zest. This is what gives the marinade the bright flavor and fragrance.
● Marinate the chicken for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Do not marinate it for
longer than 12 hours, as the extended exposure to citrus juice will begin to break down
the proteins in the chicken.
● When the chicken is done marinating, pull it out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before
you’re ready to begin cooking.
● Discard the marinade after removing the chicken. Never reuse raw marinade as a sauce,
as it’s been in contact with raw chicken and is not safe to serve.
● Cook the chicken undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side. Depending on the thickness of
your chicken breast, you may need more or less time per side.
● It helps to use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness instead of
guessing.
● Marinate the chicken for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Do not marinate it for
longer than 12 hours, as the extended exposure to citrus juice will begin to break down
the proteins in the chicken.
● When the chicken is done marinating, pull it out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before
you’re ready to begin cooking.
● Discard the marinade after removing the chicken. Never reuse raw marinade as a sauce,
as it’s been in contact with raw chicken and is not safe to serve.
● Cook the chicken undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side. Depending on the thickness of
your chicken breast, you may need more or less time per side.
● It helps to use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness instead of
guessing.
Nutrition
Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 1301mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 423IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg