Orange Marmalade Roasted Chicken Breast

Marmalade chicken breast, a recipe that balances bitter-sweet orange marmalade with red wine vinegar & gets a hint of anise from fennel seeds.

This recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare and bakes in the oven in around 25 minutes, before resting for 5 minutes, which is the perfect time to finish the sauce.

Sticky Orange Glazed Baked Chicken Breast

Bestest singing voice on, gitchie, gitchie, ya-ya, da-da (da-da-da), Fennel Chicken Marmalade!

Sorry, not sorry! As I spent weeks torturing my wife singing this whilst working on this recipe, it is only fair that you get some too. Fortunately, you only get to read it and not hear my shocking voice!

Anyway, enough waffle. This recipe is a really simple baked chicken breast that comes with a glorious sticky, bitter-sweet orange glaze.

When I think of orange chicken, my brain ordinarily thinks of a Chinese takeaway, but this is a fairly old-school combination.

The flavour of orange is contrasted by fennel seeds.

A truly wonderful ingredient and again a classic flavour combination, most notably in fennel and orange salad, but also in this fennel and orange pasta recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use chicken breast?

No, you can cook this with bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks or whole legs, then you will need to change the temperature and cooking times.

Drop the oven temperature to 200°C or 400°F and cook in total for around 35-40 minutes.

Basting halfway through and ensuring that the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 74°C or 165°F before serving and after resting (bone-in “brown” meat is better cooked on towards 80°C or 175°F).

You can also put this on spatchcock chicken and roast it in the oven.

Should I use skin-on or skin-off chicken?

I leave the skin on in this recipe, however, it will never crisp up.

I am also very aware that some folk dislike chicken skin that is not crispy, it is fine, just pull it off before cooking!

Can I cook this in an air fryer?

You can, but you need to change up the process a little because an air fryer does not allow you to cook it in the sauce.

Begin by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a pan and reducing them by a third.

Brush the chicken with the now sticky sauce and place it in the air fryer. Be sure to spray the basket with oil or release spray.

Cook for 20 -25 minutes at 190°C or 375°F, basting halfway through. Whilst the chicken is resting, finish the sauce with the butter as per my instructions.

Serving Suggestions

This marmalade chicken recipe is served here with some simple air-fried asparagus and lambs lettuce.

It would also work well with the chilli in my stir-fried broccoli recipe.

Potatoes are particularly good with this dish; if you are feeling particularly showy, then go for rich and indulgent fondant potatoes.

If you want something a little less maintenance, go for some simple salty, crispy fried potatoes or some buttered new potatoes.

It would also be excellent with everything from this pickled fennel and lentil salad to this rye and carrot salad in winter.

Equipment Used

I only recommend brands of equipment if I believe that they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Oven.
• Hob/Stovetop.
• Use a baking tray or dish just a little larger than the number of chicken breasts you are using. If you go too large, the sauce will evaporate too much.
• 15cm or 6″ saucepan.
• A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
• Mixing bowl.
• Whisk.
• Tin foil.
• A quick-read meat thermometer (optional).

Marmalade Chicken Step-by-Step Photos

1. Add the marmalade, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and fennel seeds to a bowl, mix well to form a sauce.
   
2. Place the seasoned chicken in a small baking dish, pour the sauce over the top and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 220°C or 450°F.
   
   
3. After 15 minutes, baste the chicken breast in the sauce and return to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes, if you feel it is browning too muc,h then cover with foil.
   
4. Once the chicken has reached 68-70°C or 154-158°F, remove it from the oven and remove it from the baking dish to rest.
   
5. While the chicken is resting, finish the sauce, add the cooking juices to a small pan over medium-low heat and whisk in the butter.
   
6. Serve the chicken breast, ensure it reaches 73°C or 165°F, with the sauce and a selection of your favourite veggies.