Honey Orange Chicken

Our family enjoys eating a variety of “ethnic” foods.  Mexican is probably our (or at least my) favorite but we also like Chinese food.  Now, when I say “Chinese”, I mean the Americanized version.  I’ve been overseas and I realize our version of a country’s food is often very different from the “real deal”.  

We don’t go out for Chinese too often but we do enjoy going to (or bringing home) Panda Express.  Their Orange Chicken is a very popular dish with us and I imagine with lots of people.  One of the largest spots in the steam table is usually reserved for it.  

What I think maybe many people don’t realize is, stir fry can be made quickly and easily at home in about the same amount of time it would take to go pick it up….and much less expensive.  All it takes is a few simple ingredients and a little know-how.  Oyster sauce may not be something you have at home but it can be found at most any grocery store.  For us, the orange juice is what we don’t usually have so when we do buy it I try to make a couple of our favorite recipes like this Honey Orange Chicken and Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Chicken.

Honey Orange Chicken is amazing, the whole meal can be made in about thirty minutes and clean up is a snap! This recipe goes well with rice (we prefer Jasmine or Basmati), stir fried broccoli or Ramen Noodle Salad.

Here’s the Recipe:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken (thighs or breast, your preference)
• 4 tbsp butter or margarine
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 cup orange juice
• zest of 1 orange
• 6 tbsp oyster sauce
• 4 tbsp honey
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• dash of red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)

Start by mixing up your sauce.  My original recipe says to do this while the chicken is cooking but I find it easier to have it ready ahead because the chicken cooks quite quickly and needs attention.

In a measuring cup or bowl, mix together orange juice, zest, oyster sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes

*The honey will probably glob to the bottom and that’s OK.  Just make sure to scrap it all out when you pour the sauce in your pan.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter

Be careful the butter can burn easily

While butter is melting, add cornstarch to chicken and toss to coat

Add chicken to skillet and cook until done and slightly browned

*If your skillet isn’t big enough to hold all the chicken in a single layer, cook half at a time using half the butter for each batch.  This is important for browning.

Remove chicken from pan and set aside

Add sauce to pan, reduce heat and simmer until thickened

Sauce is thick enough when it leaves an empty trail behind your spatula or spoon

Add chicken back to skillet and toss to coat

Heat through and serve immediately

We served 7 with this recipe and it got an A+ rating from all!

Honey Orange Chicken

2015-02-19 12:45:11

Serves 6

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Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

1. 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken (thighs or breast, your preference)
2. 4 tbsp butter or margarine
3. 3 tbsp cornstarch
4. 1 cup orange juice
5. zest of 1 orange
6. 6 tbsp oyster sauce
7. 4 tbsp honey
8. 3 tsp minced garlic
9. 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
10. dash of red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)

Instructions

1. In a measuring cup or bowl, mix together orange juice, zest, oyster sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes
2. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter
4. Be careful the butter can burn easily
5. While butter is melting, add cornstarch to chicken and toss to coat
6. Add chicken to skillet and cook until done and slightly browned
7. Remove chicken from pan and set aside
8. Add sauce to pan, reduce heat and simmer until thickened
9. Sauce is thick enough when it leaves an empty trail behind your spatula or spoon
10. Add chicken back to skillet and toss to coat
11. Heat through and serve immediately

Notes

1. *The honey will probably glob to the bottom and that’s OK. Just make sure to scrap it all out when you pour the sauce in your pan.
2. *If your skillet isn’t big enough to hold all the chicken in a single layer, cook half at a time using half the butter for each batch. This is important for browning.

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