This is a great recipe to prepare in advance, as the sauce/marinade can be made a few days prior to when you plan to actually eat the meal. This is also an awesome recipe when you're in need of a quick recipe, because it doesn't require hours of marinating in the sauce to be super flavorful.
The herbs in this recipe give the chicken a rich flavor, while the orange and lime give it a citrusy kick. The chicken is also easy enough for busy weeknights, yet still fancy enough that you can serve it to guests at dinner parties or other special occasions.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon orange zest
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
zest of one medium sized lime
juice of one medium sized lime
8 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon tightly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons room temperature butter
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Remove chicken breasts from packaging and rinse, then pat dry.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, and brown sugar. Pulse until smooth.
4. In a small bowl mix together 1/3 cup of the mojo sauce and the butter, stirring until smooth.
5. Cut a fairly wide slit in the chicken breasts, and, using a baster, fill the slit with the mojo butter.
6. Spread remaining mojo butter on top of the chicken.
7. Roast for 10 minutes, then spoon half of the remaining mojo mixture onto the chicken.
8. Roast for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. After chicken is removed from the oven, spoon the remaining mojo mixture on top of the chicken.
10. Let chicken cool for a few minutes, then enjoy!
