Tangy, Spicy, Quick and Easy Orange Chicken

A tangy and easy orange chicken recipe with the perfect hint of spiciness! This version is incredibly quick to make: just chop up some garlic, cut up and sauté some chicken, whisk together a bunch of items straight from the pantry, and simmer! In a half hour, you’ll have a simple but extremely yummy meal on the table – plus it’s healthier than take-out!

I’m always on the lookout for easy recipes. I’m one of those folks who doesn’t exactly feel calm and zen when cooking; I’d sort of prefer the food magically appear all ready for me. But at the same time, I’m a bit frugal and don’t want to pay for takeout. (Too much restaurant food isn’t good for my system either – I tend to cook with less salt and fat, and my body can tell the difference between restaurant food and my home-cooked food!)

Hence, my desire for quick and simple recipes! This Asian orange chicken recipe has been in my repertoire for quite a while now. It’s perfectly sweet and tangy with a bit of spiciness, and it’s super simple! Most of the ingredients are likely to be in my cupboard anyway, and very little chopping or prep is required.

So let’s get into the recipe! This recipe is adapted from one I found on Allrecipes.com: I’ve tweaked it just a bit and doubled the amount of sauce provided. (I love the sauce, plus having more means it doesn’t dry out upon reheating leftovers next day.) Note: this recipe serves 6, provided one serving is 4 ounces of meat.

Tools:

First, you’ll need a large skillet, a zester or cheese grater (use the tiniest holes if a grater is used), a chopping knife, and some bowls.

Prep:

 Chop or mince 8 cloves of garlic. I know it sounds like a lot! The original recipe calls for 4, so I just doubled it. If you’re not a huge fan of garlic, feel free to cut this down. I promise the dish doesn’t taste overwhelmingly like garlic, not at all! (I can’t promise your hands won’t smell of garlic afterwards, though!)

Zest one large orange to get about 2 teaspoons of grated orange peel. This helps add a nice citrus-y flavor!

Cut 1.5 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken into bite-size pieces. I like to use breast meat, but you could probably use dark meat if you prefer.

Mix:

Combine warm water, brown sugar, orange juice, reduced-sodium soy sauce, ketchup, white vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and the orange zest in a bowl. Whisk all this together. (Using a whisk is a lot easier than a spoon or a fork, given the inclusion of heavier ingredients along with liquids.)

Cook the chicken:

Sauté the chicken in a skillet with olive oil until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Then pour the sauce over the chicken, let it come to a quick boil, and then reduce the heat and let it simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes. After about 15 minutes, you’ll see it start to thicken. At about 20 minutes, it should be more of a sauce consistency.

Serve:

Serve with rice and vegetables for a delicious meal!

Check out the full recipe below!

Tangy, Spicy, Quick and Easy Orange Chicken

A tangy sweet orange chicken dish with the perfect hint of spiciness! This dish is really easy to make: just chop up some garlic, cut up and sauté some chicken, whisk together a bunch of items straight from the pantry, and simmer! In a half hour, you'll have a simple but extremely yummy meal on the table – plus it's healthier than take-out!

5 from 5 votes

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 tbsp orange juice no pulp
• 4 tbsp soy sauce reduced sodium, if available
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp grated orange peel from one large orange
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces

Instructions

 

• Combine water, brown sugar, orange juice, soy sauce, ketchup, white vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and orange zest in a bowl. Whisk together until smooth.
• Sauté chicken in olive oil until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bring to a boil just for a few seconds, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Let the chicken and sauce simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will start to thicken at about 15 minutes.
• Serve with rice and vegetables. Enjoy!

For more recipes, check these out:

• Easy Greek Chicken and Potatoes
• Making BBQ Chicken in a Slow Cooker
• Heart-Healthy Cajun Meatloaf

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• 30+ Pantry Must-Haves for Healthy Cooking
• 6 Easy Ways to Exercise Portion Control
• 7 Unusual & Easy Ways to Eat Less Sugar