Orange Chicken

5 from 1 vote

Orange Chicken is lighter and healthier than your favorite Chinese food take-out. Bite sized pieces of unbattered poultry, pan seared, and coated in a sweet, tangy, and flavorful sauce.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Asian

Servings:

Calories: 752kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

18 ounce jar orange marmalade (Smucker’s brand)
¾ cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Original barbecue sauce
2 pounds (approximately 3 large) boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 ½ inch pieces and patted dry with a paper towel
3 tablespoons olive oil (to pan sear the chicken)

Instructions

In a small bowl whisk together the orange marmalade and Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce until well combined and set aside.
18 ounce jar orange marmalade, ¾ cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Original barbecue sauce
Heat a large (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add half the chicken pieces to the skillet. Be sure to not overcrowd the skillet so that you are able to get a nice brown on the chicken pieces.
3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 pounds (approximately 3 large) boneless skinless chicken breast
Cook and brown the chicken on all sides for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the additional 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet, then add the remaining half of the chicken pieces to the skillet to cook and brown for 7-9 more minutes.
Add the cooked chicken from the plate back into the skillet, and all the juices from the chicken, along with the orange sauce mixture.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook the chicken and orange sauce for 15 minutes or until the sauce reduces by almost half and the orange sauce gets thick and coats the chicken well. Be sure to keep an eye on the sauce and stir it often to keep the sauce from burning as it bubbles and reduces.
Once the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and serve.

Notes

Storage:

To Store: Store leftovers in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 2-3 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze this orange chicken, without the rice, in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating
To Reheat: Reheat in a skillet, over medium heat, until warmed through. You may need to add a little water to the sauce to loosen it up when reheating.

Tips:

Avoid the temptation to cook all your chicken pieces at once. If you overcrowd your pan, you will end up steaming the chicken pieces and not getting that beautiful golden sear on them. If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, you may need to cook your chicken in 3 batches.
If you like heat in your food, you can add red pepper flakes to the orange sauce. Fresh garlic and ginger would also taste great!
Looking to cut your carbs? Use sugar free bbq sauce and orange marmalade to make your sauce. Then, serve your coated chicken over cauliflower rice, quinoa, or a simple steamed or roasted vegetable

Nutrition