Healthy Orange Chicken
This healthy orange chicken is baked and not fried. The sweet, sticky orange sauce tastes like Panda Express orange chicken but is so much better for you!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
FOR THE BROCCOLI:
- 1 medium head broccoli cut into florets (about 4 cups florets)
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- ⅓ cup whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 small/medium breasts)
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Zest of 1 medium orange about 2 tablespoons
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice from the same 1 medium orange
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 cloves minced garlic about 2 teaspoons
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare the broccoli: place the broccoli on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread into an even layer on one side of the sheet pan.
- Prepare the chicken: Place breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper into a large ziptop bag. Shake a little to combine. Add the chicken pieces, seal, then shake to coat the chicken evenly. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer on the open side of the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken pieces over. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 additional minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. When a piece of chicken is cut, the juices should run clear.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce: In a medium saucepan (one large enough to hold the sauce and the chicken), whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and corn starch, until it is very smooth. Add to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the sauce is thickened and reduced, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes. Taste (be careful; it will be hot!) and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Add the baked chicken to the pot and stir to coat with the sauce. If the broccoli is not yet as crisp as you would like, spread it out over the surface of the entire pan (including the open side where you were previously roasting the chicken) and return it to the oven until it is as baked as you like (I left it in for about 3 more minutes). Stir the green onions into the pot with the chicken. Serve hot with the roasted broccoli and rice.
Notes
- TO STORE: Place leftover orange chicken in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: To help the chicken recrisp, rewarm this dish on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F until hot. In a pinch, you can also reheat it in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Store orange chicken in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The chicken may not be as crispy once thawed, but it will still taste delicious.
- On 3/12/20 recipe was updated to reduce cornstarch to 2 tablespoons based on feedback that the sauce became too thick; if you like a super duper thick sauce, feel free to use the original 3 tablespoons.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4); without riceCalories: 309kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 28gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 73mgPotassium: 811mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 775IUVitamin C: 104mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 2mg
