Miso-Butter Chicken with Grapefruit Recipe
This Miso-Butter Chicken with Grapefruit is a vibrant and flavorful dish that combines the rich umami of miso and butter with the bright, tangy notes of fresh grapefruit. Tender roasted chicken thighs are coated in a luscious miso-butter glaze, perfectly charred in the oven, and served atop peppery arugula with bites of juicy grapefruit for a refreshing contrast. It makes a sophisticated yet easy-to-prepare meal that balances savory and citrus flavors in every bite.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Japanese-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons white miso
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- Salt, to taste
Grapefruit and Greens
- 1 grapefruit
- 4 to 5 ounces baby arugula, or mix with other bitter greens like radicchio or dandelion greens
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and miso butter: Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat it to 425°F (220°C). Finely grate about 1 tablespoon of grapefruit zest over the melted butter. Add the white miso and mirin to the melted butter and whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set the miso butter aside for later use.
- Coat and roast the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Place them in a 9-by-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish and season lightly with salt. Scrape the miso butter over the chicken and use your hands to mix and coat each piece thoroughly. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the baking dish. Roast on the upper rack of the oven until the chicken is cooked through and charred in spots, about 20 to 25 minutes. If the tops start to burn, move the dish to the middle rack. For extra browning, broil for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully.
- Prepare the grapefruit: While the chicken roasts, cut off the top and bottom of the grapefruit and set it upright on one of the cut ends. Following the curvature of the fruit, carefully slice away the peel and pith, reserving the peels. Segment the grapefruit into bite-sized pieces, removing any seeds as you go.
- Make the sauce and rest the chicken: Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it rest briefly. Squeeze the juice from the reserved grapefruit peels into the baking dish with the miso butter drippings. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the dish. Add the grapefruit segments to the sauce and mix gently.
- Assemble and serve: Slice the rested chicken into pieces. Lay the baby arugula on a large platter or individual dinner plates. Season the greens lightly with salt and drizzle with some of the grapefruit and pan juices. Top the dressed greens with the sliced chicken and spoon more grapefruit and sauce over the top. Serve immediately and enjoy the delightful balance of savory and citrus flavors.
Notes
- Use white miso for a milder, sweeter flavor that complements the grapefruit well.
- Chicken thighs are preferred for their juiciness and flavor but you can substitute with boneless chicken breasts if preferred; adjust cooking time accordingly.
- If you don’t have mirin, you can substitute with a mixture of sake and a small amount of sugar or use a dry sherry.
- Keep an eye on the chicken during broiling to prevent burning.
- Feel free to swap arugula for any other peppery greens or a mix of bitter greens for complexity.
- The grapefruit peel juice adds brightness and depth to the sauce, so don’t discard it.
Keywords: Miso chicken, roasted chicken thighs, grapefruit chicken, miso butter sauce, Japanese-inspired chicken, citrus chicken, easy roasted chicken recipe
