Miso-Butter Chicken with Grapefruit Recipe
This Miso-Butter Chicken with Grapefruit is a flavorful and elegant dish featuring tender roasted chicken thighs coated in a savory miso butter glaze with a hint of bright grapefruit zest and juice. Served over peppery baby arugula, it balances richness and citrus for a delicious, restaurant-quality meal you can make at home.
- 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 Miso Butter
- 1 grapefruit
- 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 mixed bitter greens like radicchio or dandelion greens
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare miso butter: Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 425°F. Finely grate about 1 tablespoon of grapefruit zest over the melted butter. Add white miso and mirin, then whisk together until smooth. Set aside.
- Season and coat chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Place them in a 9-by-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish and lightly season with salt. Scrape the miso butter over the chicken and use your hands to mix and coat the thighs evenly. Arrange in a single layer.
- Roast the chicken: Place the baking dish on the upper rack of the oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and charred in spots. If the tops begin to burn, move the dish to the middle rack. If the chicken is not browned enough, broil for an additional minute or two.
- Prepare the grapefruit: While the chicken roasts, cut off the top and bottom of the grapefruit. Stand it on one cut end and carefully slice away the peel and pith following the fruit’s curve; reserve the peels. Slice the peeled grapefruit into bite-sized pieces, removing any seeds.
- Make the sauce and rest chicken: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest. Squeeze the juice from the reserved grapefruit peels into the baking dish, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the grapefruit pieces.
- Assemble to serve: Slice the rested chicken. Arrange baby arugula on a platter or individual plates, season lightly with salt, then drizzle with some of the grapefruit pieces and pan juices. Top with sliced chicken and spoon over more grapefruit and sauce as desired.
Notes
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier meat that roasts evenly.
- White miso adds a subtle umami and saltiness without overpowering the citrus flavors.
- Mirin provides a touch of sweetness and depth to the miso butter glaze.
- Adjust grapefruit quantity for more or less citrus brightness according to your taste.
- If you prefer, bitter greens like radicchio can add complexity and color to the salad base.
- Broiling briefly at the end helps add a desirable char and caramelization on the chicken.
Keywords: miso butter chicken, roasted chicken thighs, grapefruit chicken, savory citrus chicken, easy dinner recipe
