Not So Sweet Orange Chicken with Charred Veggies
April 15, 2020
Orange ya glad I’m making an orange chicken recipe that doesn’t taste like meaty candy? WTF do I mean by meaty candy? Let me elaborate. Every time I order orange chicken takeout, it’s elaborately sweet. Delicious? Absolutely. But do I get tired of it after a few bites due to the almost overpowering sugariness? Unfortunately, yes.
This orange chicken recipe is my take on the takeout favorite. I guess you would say I put a *healthier* spin on it as I’m skipping the crispy battered exterior and the sugar-influence in the sauce, but my intentions with this recipe were not to health-ify the dish. I just wanted to show you guys how I would make it at home. So what’s my version? Basically I’m sautéing a naked chicken breast and tossing it in a less sweet version of an orange chicken sauce. My version is zesty, salty, a little sweet (thanks to some honey instead of the typical brown sugar that’s used) and its bright, yet comforting. I’m also pairing it with some charred green beans and carrots to add a bitter, toasty and vegetal bite on the side. Finally, I serve it up with some brown rice because that’s all I had. Typically I would use white rice, but use whatever rice makes your heart flutter.
Of course, if you have any personal preferences of your own, feel free to tweak anything and everything you see here to whatever fits your needs.
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
| 6-8cups salted water | |
| 2 chicken breasts | |
| 3 carrots | |
| 1 1/2cups green beans | |
| 2 oranges of your choice | |
| 1 1/2tbsp soy sauce | |
| 1tbsp grated ginger | |
| 2cloves garlic | |
| 1tbsp honey | |
| 1 1/2tbsp rice vinegar | |
| 1tbsp tapioca starch | |
| Oil for pans | |
| Salt | |
| 2cups cooked rice | |
| Sesame seeds | |
| Dried minced garlic | |
| Scallions | |
Equipment
Directions
Pour the 6-8 cups of water into a large pot and salt generously. Heat over medium high heat until it reaches a boil.
In the meantime, if you marinated or brined the chicken breasts, remove them from the liquid and pat them dry with a paper towel. Cut them into relatively same-sized cubes and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine orange juice, zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, grated garlic and honey. Mix until combined. Taste the mixture to see if you need any salt (with less sodium soy sauce, you may need to add a little sprinkle.) If needed, add salt to your preference.
Add the tapioca starch (or starch/flour of your choice) and whisk until there are no clumps.
With a strainer or spoon, remove any large pieces of orange pulp or orange seeds.
Heat 2 large skillets over medium high heat until the oil is shimmering.
While those heat up, add the green beans and carrots to the boiling salt water for 1 1/2 minutes. With a slotted spoon or collander, let the water drain and then transfer the vegetables to one of the skillets. Sprinkle with salt and toss, then spread them out evenly so that they are all being hit evenly with the heat, which will result in a nice char. Check up on them in 2 minutes.
Add the cubed chicken to the other skillet and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, until halfway cooked.
Notes
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6 Comments
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Tim BrownSimply amazing. So easy and delicious. The sauce is heaven!
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Hello, just wanted to mention, I enjoyed this article.
It was practical. Keep on posting!
One of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made and so tasty