Is orange chicken healthy or unhealthy?

Traditional orange chicken is battered and then fried. But this recipe give you that same orange sauce flavor, without the frying.

What makes orange chicken so good?

Orange chicken is a crowd favorite because the sauce is the perfect combination of slightly sweet with a little spicy kick. I love to use both orange juice and orange zest to give it fresh citrus flavor.

Healthy Orange Chicken | Kathleen's Cravings

Name: Healthy Orange Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons honey; 1/4 cup orange juice; 2 tablespoons orange zest, loosely packed; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 tablespoon canola oil; salt and ground black pepper; For Serving - Cooked rice, steamed veggies, and sesame seeds or thinly sliced green onions

Healthy Orange Chicken

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Healthy Orange Chicken lets you satisfy your craving for Chinese takeout, but with a healthier spin! This healthier orange chicken preps in only 10 minutes and can even be prepped to marinade the day before.

Author: Kathleen
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stove
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Orange Marinade

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons orange zest, loosely packed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Chicken and for Serving

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and ground black pepper
For Serving - Cooked rice, steamed veggies, and sesame seeds or thinly sliced green onions

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Instructions

Marinate Chicken - In a medium-large bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients and toss in the chicken chunks. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Cook Chicken - Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade. Saute, stirring occasionally until chicken is golden brown, cooked through, and marinade has reduced and thickened. About 12-15 minutes.
Deglaze Pan - Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of water so you can scrape up any brown bits from the bottom. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
Serve - Spoon cooked rice into a bowl with steamed veggies (if using). Spoon over some orange chicken and sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions, and a pinch of orange zest. Enjoy!

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
Calories: 382
Sugar: 10.5 g
Sodium: 379.5 mg
Fat: 14.1 g
Carbohydrates: 26.8 g
Fiber: 0.7 g
Protein: 35.6 g
Cholesterol: 159.8 mg

Find it online: https://kathleenscravings.com/healthy-orange-chicken/