Spicy Citrus Saffron Chicken

This chicken is the flavor of cultural fusion at its best.

Fragrant saffron takes you straight to Spain while the spicy, warming ginger draws you back to a taste of Asian cuisine. Citrus notes from the orange can allude to the food of various cultures across the globe. In short, this recipe is a world tour in your mouth.

Chicken is such a versatile meat to use, and I love experimenting with exotic flavors. Saffron is especially one of my favorites. It is so unique in flavor and a little goes a long way. I love the color and aroma it adds to a dish. Such a wonderful little spice deserves a partner in crime, ginger!

Ginger brightens up any dish and I felt it would be the perfect buddy for the saffron. I had heard of orange ginger chicken and also orange saffron chicken, so I thought, why not combine the two? The results were heavenly.

Spicy and savory all in one, this is the ultimate 'winner winner chicken dinner'. Not only is it delicious, but easy to prepare as well. Toss all of the ingredients into a container and let marinade for at least two hours or overnight. When you're ready to prepare it, bake it in the oven and baste every 15 minutes. It's that simple! Get started on your flavor world tour by reading the recipe below!

Serves: 4

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Total Time:

Ingredients

• 10 chicken legs
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• juice and zest of two large oranges
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 Tbs. freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 generous pinches of saffron strands
• 1 tsp. pepper (omit for AIP)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• optional: 1 lb. baby carrots

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large container and let marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 F and take out a 9 by 13 inch glass baking pan.
3. Pour all ingredients into the pan and place in oven for 1 hour, basting the chicken with its marinade every 15 minutes. Remove garlic clove before serving.

That's all there is to it! Enjoy this exquisite dish, I know I can't wait to make it again.

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A Spunky Inquiry:

What's your favorite cultural dish?

Low FODMAP Marinated Chicken

Who doesn't love a good marinated chicken?

I know I do, it reminds me of good memories and summer cookouts. This chicken is juicy and packed with that tangy flavor that leaves everyone asking for seconds. If you have a grill, now would be a good time to use it! If you don't, it can be made just as easily in a cast iron skillet, which is what we used this time around.

The great thing about this marinated chicken is that it contains no nightshades, no FODMAPs, and no sugar. This is a true-blue good for your tummy recipe! Also, if you don't have the time to marinade the chicken, the cast iron skillet method is the best way to go. When using the skillet, pour all of your marinade in with the chicken, allowing the sauce to quickly flavor the chicken.

We've had to use this 'emergency' method for a quick dinner and, quite to our surprise, it worked! The chicken was still so flavorful. So, this means there are three ways to cook this chicken: on the grill after marinating, in a skillet after marinating, and in the skillet with no wait time! This way, you can enjoy this recipe by preparing it the day before or throwing it together in a pinch. Now, we can all have a taste of summer whenever we want.

We enjoyed our chicken with green beans and a roasted mixture of turnip and Japanese sweet potato.

Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• juice of half a lemon
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbs. brown mustard
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Instructions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together, making sure to pierce the chicken, and store in the refrigerator over night. Alternatively, this can also be made immediately, however marinating gives more flavor.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high and place the chicken on the bottom, then pour the marinade sauce over the chicken. If grilling, baste the chicken with the marinade every 10 minutes.
3. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 30 minutes, flipping the chicken after the first 15 minutes.
4. After cooking, remove the garlic cloves and serve.

I love this recipe and I hope you do as well. Enjoy!

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A Spunky Inquiry:

What are some of your summer cookout foods?