Chicken Free Green Tea Citrus Agua Fresca
This refreshing agua fresca is the kind of drink that makes you feel like you're sitting somewhere sunny and unhurried, even if you're just at your kitchen counter. Freshly squeezed orange and lime juice meet a lightly sweetened green tea base for a combination that's bright, floral, and just a little tart in the best possible way. Maple syrup does the sweetening here, dissolving seamlessly into the hot tea and adding a subtle warmth that plain sugar can't quite match. The trick of not squeezing the tea bags keeps any bitterness at bay, so the final drink stays clean and delicate. A pinch of fine salt rounds out the citrus and makes every sip taste more alive. Served over ice with a sprig of mint and a thin citrus wheel, it's genuinely stunning in a glass — the kind of thing guests assume took far more effort than it did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the green tea base
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to taste
For the citrus blend
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
- 2 cups cold water
- ¼ tsp fine salt
For serving
- 1 cup ice cubes, for serving
- 4 thin orange or lime slices, for garnish (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat. Add the green tea bags and steep for 3 minutes, until the tea is a clear, pale gold-green color. Remove and discard the bags — do not squeeze them, as this releases bitter tannins.
- 2
Stir the maple syrup into the hot tea until fully dissolved. Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, at least 10 minutes.
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