If you like mojitos, then you’ll most definitely like these Mojito Marinated Chicken Breasts.
This chicken recipe is fabulous. It’s absolutely moist and perfect. The mint flavor does not come through in a strong way. I’d say that the mojito flavor is just slightly imparted onto the chicken.
Ingredients needed:
- freshly squeezed lime juice
- light rum
- fresh mint leaves
- granulated white sugar
- vegetable or canola oil
- chicken breast halves
- large limes
How to make Mojito Marinated Chicken Breasts:
MARINATE THE CHICKEN:
While the chicken is marinating, the lime wedges get drunk with a little bit of rum. Just let ’em soak it all up.
Back in my catering days, we always baked chicken first and then finished it off on the grill when we got to the party. It was always super moist when prepared this way, and that’s the route I usually take at home. I bake these for about 30 minutes (covered) at 350 degrees F, and then grill for about 5 minutes per side. Otherwise, if not pre-cooking then the chicken should take about 10 minutes per side. The limes are then thrown on the grill to soften up a bit.
Garnish the platter with mint sprigs and the grilled lime wedges. Serve this fabulous grilled chicken with veggies and rice. And don’t forget to add your favorite mojito cocktail too!
Serve the rum-soaked, grilled limes with the chicken. They add a little pizzazz when they’re squeezed onto the chicken before eating. Mojito marinated chicken breasts make for fantastic leftovers too- thrown into a salad with black beans and corn. Enjoy!
The Best Mojito Recipes:
- Classic Mojitos
- Cranberry Mojitos
- Greek Mojitos
- Passionfruit Mojitos
- Orange-Basil Mojitos
- Pomegranate Mojitos
- Watermelon Mojitos
Mojito-Marinated Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
MARINADE:
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ cup light rum
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 6 tablespoons mint syrup (see cooking tips below)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
GRILLED CHICKEN:
- 6 large (about 5 pounds) chicken breast halves with skin and bones
- 3 large limes, quartered lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons light rum
- fresh mint sprigs for garnish, optional
Instructions
MARINATE THE CHICKEN:
- In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, rum, chopped mint, mint syrup and vegetable oil.
- Place the chicken in large plastic zip bag. Pour the marinade over and seal the bag. Turn the bag to cover. Chill at least 4 hours, turning several times during the day to re-distribute the marinade.
GRILL THE CHICKEN:
- Place the lime quarters in a shallow bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons of rum over, tossing to coat. Let stand at room temperature.
- Prepare the grill to medium heat. Remove the chicken breast from the marinade and grill until cooked through, about 10 minutes per side (time will vary based on thickness of chicken). Transfer to a platter.
- Grill the limes until soft and slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Garnish the platter with mint sprigs. Squeeze the grilled limes over the chicken and serve.
Notes
- Mint syrup is often shelved with the coffee and tea at the supermarket. It's available anywhere that sells syrups for coffee. To make your own: Mix 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add a handful of mint leaves. Let sit until cooled. Strain out the mint and you'll have mint syrup remaining. Measure from that.
- The longer you marinate the chicken, the more flavorful it will be.
- You can use boneless chicken breasts for this, but they're just not as good as the bone-in for this recipe.
- To make grilling easier, you can bake the breasts for a short time and then finish them off on the grill. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (covered) and then finish off on the grill about 5 min. per side.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
