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Orange-Glazed Chicken

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5 from 2 reviews

This is a lightened-up version of orange chicken made with less sugar and no breading for the chicken. The glaze, made with fresh orange juice, is lightly sweet and tart, and the chicken thigh pieces are tender and juicy.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch plus 1 teaspoon, divided
  • 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 chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • For serving: Cooked rice and sliced green onions

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken thigh pieces in a large bowl. Add the cornstarch and toss to coat the chicken evenly.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, orange juice, orange zest, and brown sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and whisk until it dissolves.
  3. 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. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate or cutting board.
  4. In the same pan, cook the bell pepper until it softens, 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.
  5. Add the chicken to the pan and stir to coat it in the sauce. Serve the orange chicken with cooked 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, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of the thighs.

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.

Leftovers will keep for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition estimates do not include the rice or garnish.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/orange-chicken/