This copycat Bahama Breeze chicken with cilantro crema recipe is a bright, flavorful, and tasty homemade recipe the whole family will love! Sweet, savory, and with a fresh and herby dipping sauce you can make in just 5 minutes.
1cupfresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing the chicken
2limeszest and juice
2teaspoonsbrown sugar
1/2teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. (see Note below if grilling)
In a large 13 x 9 inch baking dish, add the chicken breasts in an even layer. Top each chicken breast with a drizzle of olive oil.
In a small bowl, add the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika. Mix to combine. Pour 1 teaspoon of the mixture over each breast.
Over the spice mixture, spread 1 teaspoon of orange marmalade over each chicken breast. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the marmalade evenly on top of the slices and over the surface of the chicken.
Place the chicken in the pre-heated oven, and bake for 25-35 minutes (the thicker the chicken, the longer it will take), until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which is cooked through.
While the chicken is baking, make the crema. In a blender, add the mayonnaise, cilantro leaves, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, and the salt. Blend on low speed until the cilantro has blended and the sauce is a light green color. Pour into a small serving dish.
Once chicken is done, place on a serving plate and drizzle 1/2 the cilantro crema over the chicken. Save the remaining crema as a dipping sauce. Serve hot and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
A Note on Baking vs. Grilling the Chicken
I oven-baked this chicken at home, and it came out fantastic, especially when dipped into the delicious sauce.You can grill the chicken instead on a charcoal grill, gas grill, or even a grill pan on the stove. If you are going to grill chicken, grill on high heat for 12-16 minutes, flip the chicken half way through cooking.Always ensure the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the chicken. Check with a meat thermometer before serving.Note: this is not the official Bahama Breeze recipe just a copycat I tried to make at home! If you can visit one of their locations, I highly recommend, it's a great place for dinner & a drink!!