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Every family has that one recipe. In our house, it is this Marinated Chicken Breast, the dish my 15-year-old son requests more than any other, the one he asks for by name after a hard week or a big win or just because. I first threw the marinade together a few years ago on a whim, using a bag of Ojai Pixie tangerines I could not stop snacking on, and it stuck immediately. Now that I have finally stood in the orchard where those Pixies grow, sharing it here feels like the full-circle moment it was always meant to be.

Our post and the recipe that goes with it were made in partnership with California Grown! We received compensation in exchange for it. Opinions are always our own. If we don't love it, you don't hear about it. Thanks for your continued support!

A Full-circle Moment at Friends Ranches

On my recent trip through Ventura County with CA GROWN, we pulled off the road in Ojai at Friends Ranches, the spiritual home of the Ojai Pixie tangerine. Emily Ayala runs the farm with her family, who have worked this valley since the 1870s. Her grandfather was the one who first planted Pixies in real numbers, back when almost nobody wanted them, and today, close to 40 family farms grow them across Ojai.

What stuck with me was how Emily talks about timing. Pixies cannot be rushed. They ripen when they ripen, for a few short weeks in spring, and then they are gone until next year. "Everything that's good, it's seasonal," she told us. Standing there with sticky fingers, I finally understood why the batches of this chicken I make in Ojai Pixie season taste like nothing else I make the rest of the year.

Why Ojai Pixies Make This Marinade Stand Out

Ojai Pixies live in that sweet spot between sugary and tart, a balance the valley earns by running cool at night and warm by day. That contrast is the whole engine of this recipe. You wash and halve the tangerines and toss them right into the bowl, peel and all, so the juice and the fragrant oils in the skin work their way into the chicken as it sits.

When Pixies are out of season, reach for mandarins or another California tangerine variety. It will still be good, but I will be honest with you: the flavor is so different. A real Ojai Pixie has a brightness that the substitutes only hint at, so if you can catch them in season, this is the moment to make this one.

Tips for a Juicy Marinated Chicken Breast

A few small moves separate fine from outstanding here. Slice each breast in half across the width, then flatten the pieces with a mallet or a heavy skillet so they cook fast and evenly, and do not be shy about the force. Next, give it real time in the marinade, anywhere from 15 minutes to 5 hours, where the citrus juices, olive oil, balsamic, rosemary, garlic, and a hit of Piment d'Ville chile powder do their slow work.

When you grill, keep the lid down and fight the urge to flip early. The chicken releases from the grates on its own when it is ready, usually after about 6 minutes per side. Pull it the moment it hits 165F in the thickest part, then tent it with foil and let it rest for a few minutes so the juices settle back in.

How to serve it

Slice it warm over my Little Gem and Pistachio Salad with Green Goddess Sauce for the exact plate I have been making on repeat since this trip. It is also a workhorse for meal prep, sliced cold into grain bowls all week or piled onto a sandwich with a smear of avocado. Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container for up to four days. Both recipes came out of the same stretch of coast. You can read the whole story in my Ventura County travel guide.

Make it while the Pixies are in season. My son swears you will not regret it.

📸 Don’t forget to share and tag @thismessisours and @cagrownofficial when you make it—we want to see that Golden State citrus in all its glory!

Images from our trip to Ventura by James Collier of Paprika Studios for CA GROWN.

Ojai Pixie Tangerine & Herb-Marinated Chicken Breast

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Bright, herby grilled chicken marinated in sweet-tart Ojai Pixie tangerines, fresh rosemary, garlic, and a little chile heat. Slice it over salads or pile it onto sandwiches.

Author: This Mess is Ours
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinate time: 6 hrs
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 0 hours
Yield: 8 pieces of chicken 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half and pounded thin (see note)

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 4 Ojai Pixie tangerines, washed and halved

• ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped

• ½ teaspoon Piment d’Ville chile powder, or other chile powder

• 2 cloves garlic, smashed

• 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt, more to taste

• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

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Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

1. Combine the prepared chicken and all of the ingredients, including the tangerine halves after juicing, in a large bowl or a sealable plastic bag. Toss to combine and coat. Marinate for as little as 15 minutes and up to 5 hours.

Grill the Chicken

1. Preheat the grill to 375°F to 400°F. Scrape off any leftover bits from the last time you grilled so the grate is clean and ready to cook.

2. Place the marinated chicken breasts on the preheated grill and close the lid. Keep the lid closed while the chicken cooks so no heat escapes. Cook for 6 minutes on the first side. The chicken will let you know when it is ready to flip, as it will begin to pull away from the grates easily. If it sticks when you try to flip it with tongs, let it cook a minute longer and check again.

3. Flip the chicken and cook for 6 minutes more. Cook time will vary with the size and thickness of each breast, so check the internal temperature in the thickest part with a meat thermometer.

4. When the internal temperature reaches 165°F, the chicken is done. Transfer it to a clean plate or platter.

5. Immediately cover with foil to seal in the juices and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. This gives you juicy chicken breasts ready to slice for salads or serve whole for sandwiches.

Notes

To create uniform pieces for marinating and grilling, slice the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half across the width. Place one to two pieces into a sealable bag at a time, close tightly, and use the bottom of a heavy skillet, a rolling pin, or the flat side of a meat mallet to flatten the chicken. You may have to hit the chicken with some force here, so don’t be afraid.