I recently wanted to make my grandma’s orange chicken for Boyfriend, but realized I didn’t have the recipe at his house. While I put out a request for the recipe with my mom and aunt, and I did a little internet browsing and was surprised by how many recipes require deep frying the chicken. This version avoids the deep frying, keeping it much healthier but with all the delicious flavor.
Orange chicken was a staple growing up. I remember having it frequently, and unfortunately, I never really liked it. I don’t know what was wrong with me, but I have since come to my senses and love this childhood classic. This was one of my grandma and my mom’s favorite meals to make for company. It’s easy to make but is always a crowd pleaser served with brown rice. And is always served with broccoli in my house (gotta have that pop of color). I’ve made a few additions to really make the flavors pop. I hope this becomes a new classic for your family. The recipe below serves 4, but you can easily scale this up for larger portions.
Orange Chicken
Serves 4
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 large orange, zested
- 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with flour, salt, paprika, and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until the chicken pieces are cooked most of the way through. It’s ok for the chicken to be slightly pink in the center. Remove the chicken to a clean dish and set aside. Return the pan to the heat and add the onions. Sautee the onion until just beginning to soften. Add the chicken back to the pan and add the orange juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Let simmer for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced, then stir in the orange zest and grated ginger. Cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with brown rice and broccoli and garnish with scallions.
