Miso-Butter Chicken With Grapefruit Recipe
Miso-Butter Chicken with Grapefruit is a flavorful roasted chicken dish that combines the richness of miso and butter with the bright, citrusy notes of grapefruit. Tender boneless chicken thighs are coated in a miso-mirin butter mixture, roasted to perfection, and served atop a bed of peppery arugula with fresh grapefruit segments and a tangy pan sauce made from grapefruit juice and roasted chicken drippings. This dish balances savory, sweet, and tart flavors for an elegant yet simple weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Japanese-inspired fusion
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 1 grapefruit, zest and segmented
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons white miso
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Salt, to taste
Salad
- 4 to 5 ounces baby arugula (or mix with other bitter greens like radicchio or dandelion greens)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare miso butter: Arrange an oven rack in the upper third position and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Finely grate about 1 tablespoon of grapefruit zest over the melted butter. Add the white miso and mirin, then whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Set aside this miso butter for later use.
- Prepare and roast chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to ensure even browning. Place the chicken in a 9-by-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish and season lightly with salt. Using your hands, scrape the miso butter mixture over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are well coated. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the dish. Roast on the upper rack for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and has some charred spots. If the tops seem to be burning, move the dish to the middle rack. For extra browning, broil for an additional 1 to 2 minutes if necessary.
- Prepare the grapefruit segments: While the chicken roasts, trim the top and bottom off the grapefruit, then stand it on one of the cut ends. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice off the peel and pith by following the curve of the fruit, reserving the peels for juice extraction. Slice the peeled grapefruit into bite-size pieces, removing any seeds you find.
- Make grapefruit pan sauce: Transfer the roasted chicken to a cutting board and let it rest. Squeeze the juice from the reserved grapefruit peels into the baking dish containing the chicken drippings. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan to deglaze. Add the grapefruit segments to the sauce and gently combine.
- Assemble and serve: Slice the chicken thighs into pieces. Arrange the arugula (or mixed greens) on a serving platter or individual plates. Season the greens with a pinch of salt and drizzle some of the grapefruit and pan juices over them. Top with the sliced chicken and spoon over more grapefruit segments and sauce for a beautifully balanced and vibrant dish.
Notes
- For a more intense citrus flavor, you can add a splash of fresh grapefruit juice to the miso butter before coating the chicken.
- Using skinless chicken thighs helps the miso butter adhere better and makes the dish less greasy.
- If you don’t have mirin, substitute with a mix of dry white wine and a pinch of sugar, but the flavor will slightly differ.
- To easily remove grapefruit seeds, cut segments over a bowl of water to catch seeds and juice separately.
- The pan sauce can be spooned over rice or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Keywords: miso chicken, roasted chicken, miso butter, grapefruit chicken, Japanese fusion, oven roasted chicken, citrus chicken, easy dinner recipe
