Description
A homemade take-out-style favorite made with less oil and sugar. This orange chicken takes less than 45 minutes and will satisfy those take-out cravings – it’s made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fresh orange juice, and a touch of sugar for sweetness. Serve it with rice to make it complete.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, plus 1 teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (from about 3 oranges)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Cooked white rice, for serving
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Place the cut up chicken thighs in a large bowl. Add the cornstarch and toss the chicken to coat it evenly with the cornstarch.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, orange juice, orange zest, and brown sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and whisk until it’s dissolved into the mixture.
- In a large non-stick pan heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken pieces until they are cooked through, turning once while cooking. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate.
- In the same pan, cook the bell pepper until it starts to soften, about two to three minutes. Add the orange sauce and bring it to a boil, stirring frequently. Let the sauce bubble and simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir to coat it in the sauce.
- Sever with cooked white rice and garnish with sliced green onions.
Notes
I prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they have a lot of flavor. That said, if you prefer boneless, skinless chicken breasts you can use them in place of the thighs.
I love the ginger paste you can buy in a tube – so much easier than dealing with fresh ginger. Look for it in the produce section at the grocery store.
I like to use a fine mesh strainer when I squeeze the oranges – it catches all the pulp so it doesn’t end up in the sauce.
Nutrition estimates do not include the rice or garnish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 339
- Sugar: 10.4g
- Sodium: 480.7mg
- Fat: 14.1g
- Saturated Fat: 7.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16.9g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 34.6g
- Cholesterol: 159.8mg
Keywords: orange chicken, healthier orange chicken, chicken with orange sauce
