Flash-Grilled Chicken Breasts With Orange-Maple Syrup Sauce

3 from 4 ratings

There's nothing quite like the sizzle and aroma of fresh, marinated chicken breasts hitting the grill, and this recipe is sure to please. A simple marinade of orange juice, orange zest, and maple syrup infuses the chicken with citrusy flavor and helps keep them moist during their quick trip to the sizzling grill. Click here to see 15 Great Grilled Chicken Recipes. Click here to see 101 Ways to Cook Chicken

Servings

servings

Ingredients

juice of 2 oranges
zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, halved lengthwise to make 8 pieces
3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
orange slices, for garnish

Directions

To make the sauce, combine the orange juice, orange zest, and maple syrup in a bowl. Stir until well blended and reserve for later.
Brush each breast with the olive oil, followed by the thyme leaves, and salt and pepper, to taste. Put the chicken into a gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bags, press the air out, and seal it. Place on a cutting board and roll a rolling pin over the chicken to flatten to about a ½-inch thickness.
Fill a charcoal chimney with briquettes, set the chimney on the bottom grill grate, and light. When the coals are ready, dump them into the bottom of the grill and spread evenly. For a gas grill, preheat on medium-high heat.
Grill the chicken for 2 minutes; turn over and grill for 2 more minutes. Before turning again, brush the top side with three-fourths of the orange-maple syrup sauce, flip, and then brush the other side and grill for 2 more minutes.
To test for doneness, cut into the thickest part or test with a meat thermometer (160 degrees for done, as the temperature will rise 5 degrees after the chicken is removed from the grill). If the chicken is pink or underdone, brush with more finishing sauce and grill for 1 more minute on each side. When done, remove the chicken from the grill to a cutting board. Cut lengthwise into ½-inch strips and serve immediately with the rest of the sauce. Garnish with orange slices.