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Baked Orange Ginger Chicken Breasts

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These baked orange ginger chicken breasts are a quick and easy dinner idea the whole family will enjoy.

Chicken breasts are baked in the oven with orange zest, honey, ginger, nutmeg and garlic.

These baked chicken breasts are so easy and can be served with any salad including our strawberry spinach salad or a simple greek salad.

Baked orange ginger chicken breasts  with slices of orange beside it and fresh parmesan sprinkled on top.

Baked Orange Chicken

This easy recipe takes boring chicken breasts and zests them up with a delicious orange ginger sauce.

  • Chicken breasts that are flavored with homemade orange-ginger sauce definitely taste better!
  • You’ll have a new flavorful dinner recipe for busy weeknights with a few simple fresh ingredients.
  • This chicken can be meal prepped then sliced. Leftover chicken pieces can be used in mason jar salads for lunches.
  • Consider brining the chicken in advance like we did with our ranch chicken breasts recipe. This simple step takes only 15 minutes and creates juicy, tender meat.
  • Serve this chicken with brown or white rice, quinoa, pasta, green beans or a kale salad for a delicious meal.
Looking down at a plate with four orange ginger chicken breasts, slices of orange and parmesan sprinkled on top. A knife and kitchen towel are beside the plate.

Recipe Ingredients

CHICKEN BREASTS: This recipe uses four boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can always use more or less, but cooking time will vary slightly. This recipe will also work with drumsticks, chicken thighs and tenders.

SAUCE: The juice and zest from fresh oranges are combined with honey, olive oil, ground ginger, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

VARIATIONS: Use orange marmalade for a faster sauce. Add soy sauce, red pepper flakes, green onions, and fresh orange slices. Try fresh ginger, fresh garlic, lemon juice, fresh orange juice or orange juice concentrate for an easy replacement.

White casserole dish with four raw chicken breasts and orange sauce drizzled over top.

How To Make This Orange Ginger Chicken Recipe

  1. Zest the peel of the orange using a cheese grater. Slice the orange in half and squeeze out juice.
  2. Add juice, zest, honey, oil, and spices to a medium bowl. Mix together according to the full recipe instructions at the bottom of this article.
  3. Place chicken breasts to a baking dish (or oven save large skillet) and drizzle sauce overtop. Bake until chicken is fully cooked. Drizzle extra sauce overtop of chicken before serving.

LEFTOVERS: Potato wedges can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Leftover chicken can be served cold in salads or warmed in the microwave.

This recipe can easily barbecued using an outdoor grill or cooked in a heavy skillet on the stove.

Honey orange chicken breasts on plate with slices oranges. Fresh bunch of parsley and kitchen towel in behind it.

How Long To Cook Chicken Breasts At 400°F

Cooking chicken at a higher temperature can help to seal in the flavor. The size and thickness of your chicken breasts will vary the cooking time. For example, a thin chicken breast that’s 5-6 oz will only take 25-30 minutes.

The more chicken you cook at once, the longer it will take. I used four thick chicken breasts and it took 50 minutes to cook, but I like my chicken breasts to be a little over-cooked.

The best way to tell if the chicken is done is with a meat thermometer. Poke it through the center of the chicken breast to read the temperature. Once it reaches 165°F internally, it’s cooked.

Close up of chicken breasts with sliced oranges and orange sauce. Striped towel in background.

More Chicken Breast Recipes

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Baked Orange Ginger Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts are baked in the oven with orange zest, honey, ginger, nutmeg and garlic.
4.16 from 13 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts - or boneless chicken thighs

Sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil - olive oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil etc.
  • 1 large orange - zested and juiced
  • 2 Tbsp honey - maple syrup or brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp Salt and pepper - ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Wash and scrub a large orange. Use a grater to zest the whole orange peel.
    peeled orange, orange zest, grater and paper towel on cutting board
  • Slice the orange in half then squeeze out orange juice. Remove any seeds.
    orange juice in glass citrus juicer with two sliced oranges
  • Add orange juice and orange zest to a bowl along with honey, ginger, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix together and set aside.
    white bowl of orange zest and spices with small red spatula
  • Add chicken breasts to a baking dish. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
    raw chicken breasts in white baking dish seasoned with salt and pepper
  • Pour the orange ginger sauce over top of the chicken.
    raw chicken breasts with orange sauce poured over top in white baking dish
  • Bake for 50 minutes, basting once or twice during the process.
    Chicken is cooked when the inside is no longer pink, juices run clear and reaches 165°F as an internal temperature when poked with a thermometer.
    baked orange ginger chicken breasts in white baking dish

Recipe Notes:

  • The size and thickness of your chicken breasts will vary the cooking time.
  • 5-6 oz chicken breast will only take 25-30 minutes.
  • The more chicken you cook at once, the longer it will take.
  • Use a Meat Thermometer: Poke it through the center of the chicken breast to read the temperature. Once it reaches 165°F internally, it’s cooked.
  • Consider brining the chicken in advance like we did with our ranch chicken breasts recipe. This simple step takes only 15 minutes and creates juicy, tender meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 185mg | Sugar: 8g

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.

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