Not So Sweet Orange Chicken with Charred Veggies

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.