This Key West Sweet and Old Sour Chicken recipe delivers restaurant-quality chicken all in one pan. The dish has island flavors, and the chicken is incredibly tender and juicy.
This tropical-tasting chicken is made using Key West Old Sour Key Lime Sauce, produced by Key West's Chef Paul Menta of Key West Legal Rum Distillery.
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Gordan Ramsey and Paul Menta on TV
Paul Menta, chef, cookbook author, and champion kiteboarder, appeared on Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted on May 9, 2024, on National Geographic. If you haven't seen the show yet, click the link and take it look. It's a fun episode with lots of locals and great cooking tips!
Called a true Keys connoisseur by Chef Ramsey, Menta showed Ramsay just how some of the Florida Keys' unique flavors can enliven dishes of fresh-caught grunts and succulent stone crab.
Key West Old Sour Key Lime Sauce
Key West Old Sour Sauce is a classic condiment from the Keys that dates back to 1903. It is a mixture of Key lime juice turbinado sugar, sea salt, and serrano peppers.
You can use the sauce on almost all your savory dishes, including fish, steaks, and salads.
Shelf-stable and mildly spicy, this bottled sauce adds a kick to your food without overpowering, making it a flexible addition to any dish.
What You Need
To make old sour chicken thighs, I'm using skinless chicken thighs. They can be bone-in or boneless—both taste good, though bone-in thighs will take a few more minutes to cook through.
If you have chicken breasts, they can be substituted.
The sauce can be picked up in Key West at Key West First Legal Rum Distillery.
Serves 2 (2 thighs or one breast per serving, about 12 oz.)
Gather the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about ¾ pound), excess fat trimmed
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons Key West Old Sour Marinade
- ½ cup chicken stock or broth
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh limes key limes for garnish
How to Make Key Lime Chicken Thighs
- Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.
- Place the chicken, smooth or skin side down, in the pan. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked halfway.
- Flip the chicken and cook for about 4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add the sliced onion to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the onions are fragrant and starting to soften.
- Add a tablespoon of honey to the onions and toss. When the honey starts to bubble, push the onions to one side of the pan, add the chicken back to the pan (face down), and distribute the onions over the chicken. (The honey on the pan will caramelize the chicken.)
- Mix 2 tablespoons of Key West Old Sour Key Lime Sauce with ½ cup chicken stock and pour over the chicken. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and top it with the pan juices.
- Garnish with lime wedges.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some great side dish ideas to serve with Key West Sweet and Old Sour Chicken:
- Steamed Broccoli and Carrots
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- Cuban Spanish Rice and Steamed Basmati rice
- Roasted Cauliflower and Steamed Carrots
- Sautéed Tomatoes with Shallots and White Rice
- Poached Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Meal Ideas:
- Make tacos: Fill warm tortillas with guacamole, sour cream, and diced chicken on top.
- Add to a Salad: You can top a Caesar salad or green salad with key lime chicken.
- Make a Bowl: Add a cup of steamed rice to a bowl. Add a scoop of Guacamole, Mango Pico de Gallo, and a dollop of sour cream. Top with chicken, and you'll have quite a meal!
Key West First Legal Rum Distillery
Key West First Legal Rum Distillery is a historic rum distillery in Key West, renowned for being the first legal distillery in the city since Prohibition.
Located in an old Coca-Cola bottling plant, the distillery offers visitors a glimpse into the history of rum-making and the opportunity to sample its handcrafted spirits.
The Key West First Legal Rum Distillery produces a variety of rums using natural ingredients, such as Florida sugar cane and local spices, to create unique flavors.
At the distillery, enjoy a tour of the premises, take a class to learn how to make authentic mojitos, and pick up Chef Paul Menta's handmade rum, Old Sour Key Lime Sauce, and other Key West merchandise.
Open daily from 11 am-6 pm, the distillery has 2 bars, and you can get a frozen Piña Colada or an authentic Cuban Mojito.
Key West First Legal Rum Distillery is located at 105 Simonton St, off Duval Steet, in Key West, Florida.
FAQ
Pick up Key West Old Sour Sauce at the Key West Legal Rum Distillary at 105 Simonton Street in Key West, Florida.
The Conch Republic is a symbolic micro-nation declared by Key West, Florida, on April 23, 1982, in protest of a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint that caused travel delays along the stretch of highway leading to the island.
Today, the "Conch Republic" is celebrated as a unique part of Key West’s culture, with annual festivities and a range of Conch Republic-themed merchandise sold around town.
"📖 Recipe"
Key West Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons Key West Old Sour Key Lime Sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock or broth
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh limes or key limes for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- In a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.
- Place the chicken, smooth or skin side down, in the pan. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked halfway.
- Flip the chicken and cook for about 4 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add the sliced onion to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the onions are fragrant and starting to soften.
- Add a tablespoon of honey to the onions and toss. When the honey starts to bubble, push the onions to one side of the pan, add the chicken back to the pan (face down), and distribute the onions over the chicken. (The honey on the pan will caramelize the chicken.)
- Mix 2 tablespoons of Key West Old Sour Key Lime Sauce with ½ cup chicken stock and pour over the chicken. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and top it with the pan juices.
- Garnish with lime wedges.
Notes
-
- Cuban Spanish Rice and Steamed Basmati rice
-
- Sautéed Tomatoes with Shallots and White Rice
-
- Make tacos: Fill warm tortillas with guacamole, sour cream, and diced chicken on top.
-
- Add to a Salad: You can top a Caesar salad or green salad with key lime chicken.
-
- Make a Bowl: Add a cup of steamed rice to a bowl. Add a scoop of guacamole, Mango Pico de Gallo, and a dollop of sour cream. Top with chicken, and you'll have quite a meal!
Alyssa Jordan
I can't wait to try this!