Best Blood Orange Chicken Recipes

CRISPY CHICKEN FINGERS WITH SWEET AND SOUR BLOOD ORANGE SAUCE, BLOOD ORANGE WATERCRESS SALAD

Steps:

• Blood Orange Granita, for serving, recipe follows
• For the blood orange rub: Place chicken pieces in a large dish and add the garlic powder, pepper, ground fennel, olive oil and blood orange zest. Coat the chicken with the rub and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• For the crispy chicken fingers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fill a large pot one-third full with the vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking tray with a cooling rack.
• Place the flour, whisked eggs and panko into individual dishes. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, followed by the eggs and then the panko breadcrumbs. Place the breaded chicken on the prepared baking tray. In batches, place the chicken strips in the oil and fry until crispy and golden. Place on a baking tray and keep warm in the oven. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
• For the sweet and sour blood orange sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the red onions and sweat until tender and translucent. Mix the honey, red wine vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a bowl. Add to the saute pan and stir. Add the blood orange zest, blood orange pieces and cinnamon stick. Season with salt and pepper, stir and cook until the mixture has reduced by half.
• Strain the mixture through a sieve into a new pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then remove from the heat. Continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Place the pot back over medium heat, add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a simmer to cook the cornstarch out, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
• For the blood orange watercress salad: Segment the blood oranges over a sieve and bowl to ensure all the juices are reserved; set the segments aside. Place the olive oil, red wine vinegar and shallots in the blood orange juice. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Place the watercress and iceberg lettuce on a serving plate. Spoon the blood orange dressing over the greens. Garnish with the blood orange segments and crushed rice crackers.
• Serve the salad alongside the crispy chicken fingers with the sweet and sour blood orange dipping sauce.

BLOOD ORANGE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts into a baking dish. Squeeze juice of 2 blood oranges over chicken. Marinate from 12 to 24 hours; drain and discard used marinade.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season each chicken breast with salt and black pepper. Brown chicken in hot oil on both sides, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.
• Melt butter in a clean skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in melted butter until onion is translucent and garlic has begun to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in juice of 3 blood oranges, chicken stock, white wine, and parsley. Bring mixture to a boil. Return chicken breasts to skillet, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 7 minutes per side.
• Place chicken to serving plates, leaving pan juices; dissolve honey in the pan juices and simmer sauce until thickened, about 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken breasts to serve.

STICKY CHICKEN & BLOOD ORANGE STIR FRY

Steps:

• First things first, put the kettle on, tip the spinach into a colander and sit the colander in the sink. Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, honey, soy sauce, ginger and garlic - a micro whisk is perfect for this job.
• Put the noodles in a deep bowl and pour boiling water from the kettle to just cover. Leave to soak for 4 minutes, then very carefully and slowly pour the noodles and water over the spinach in the colander and toss the noodles with the spinach so it wilts. Drizzle the sesame oil over and mix gently. Put to one side.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a wok until it's very hot, tip in the chicken strips and fry over a high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown all over. Pour the orange and honey mix over the chicken. At first it will bubble furiously but after a few moments it will calm down. Bubble and stir the sauce and chicken for 2 minutes until the sauce is thick and shiny and has glazed the chicken.
• Tip the noodles, spinach and chilli flakes into the wok with the chicken. Gently toss everything together to warm through, then season with salt and pepper. Pile the noodles and chicken on a plate. A splash more soy sauce and a glass of chilled white wine are the only accompaniments this noodle supper needs.

CHICKEN IN BLOOD ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix the olive oil, shallot, garlic, juice of 1 blood orange and the lemon with 1/4 cup water. Pour over chicken and let marinate in fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• 2. Preheat oven 450 degrees. Place chicken and the marinate in baking pan. Slice the remaining blood orange into thin pieces and wedge the pieces in between the pieces of chicken. Make sure the chicken is skin side up. Sprinkle the sage over the chicken and roast for 45 minutes.
• 3. Serve with sauce and a slice of orange

ROAST CHICKEN WITH BLOOD ORANGE-FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Make the chicken: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel 2 garlic cloves and transfer to a mini food processor; set the rest of the head of garlic aside. Grate the blood orange zest into the food processor (set the oranges aside for the salad). Pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the parsley, sage, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; pulse, scraping down the food processor as needed, until the herbs are finely chopped. Add the butter and pulse to combine.
• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Gently slide your fingers under the skin on the breasts and legs to loosen it. Spread the orange-herb butter under the skin. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper, then stuff the rest of the garlic head into the cavity. Tuck the wings under the chicken and tie the legs together with twine.
• Set a rack in a large roasting pan; put the chicken on the rack and rub with olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast 30 minutes, then rotate the pan and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue roasting until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 1 hour. Let rest in the pan 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the salad: Fill a large bowl with ice water. Thinly slice the fennel (use a mandoline if you have one) and add to the ice water; let sit 20 minutes. Combine the fennel fronds, beans, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Grate the zest of 1 blood orange into the bowl; set aside.
• Remove the peel and pith from all 6 blood oranges using a paring knife. Halve the oranges and thinly slice. Drain the fennel and dry in a salad spinner. Refrigerate the oranges and fennel until ready to use.
• Transfer the chicken to a board. Add the fennel, blood oranges, olives, parsley and mint to the bowl with the beans. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Serve with the chicken.