Description
This Ground Orange Chicken recipe features savory ground chicken cooked in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy orange sauce. Perfectly balanced with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, this quick and easy skillet dish is ideal for a flavorful weeknight dinner. Garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, it pairs beautifully with steamed rice for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Orange Sauce
- 1/2 cup orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or honey)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
Thickener
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Garnishes and Serving
- 3 green onions, sliced (white and green parts divided)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
- Cooked rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Orange Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, red pepper flakes, and water or chicken broth until well combined.
- Make Cornstarch Slurry: In a separate small bowl, stir the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water to create a smooth slurry and set aside.
- Heat the Oil: Heat the neutral cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat to get it hot enough for cooking the chicken evenly.
- Cook the Ground Chicken: Add the ground chicken to the hot skillet, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Brown the Chicken: Cook the chicken until it is no longer pink and lightly browned in spots, about 5 to 7 minutes, ensuring it is cooked through.
- Add the Orange Sauce: Pour the orange sauce mixture over the cooked chicken, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the flavors.
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring so all the chicken is coated evenly in the flavorful sauce.
- Incorporate the Slurry: Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then slowly pour it into the skillet while stirring the chicken and sauce to avoid lumps.
- Thicken the Sauce: Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add a splash more water or broth if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Add Green Onion Whites: Stir in the white parts of the sliced green onions and let them soften in the hot sauce for about 1 minute to release their flavor.
- Adjust Seasoning: Reduce heat to low, taste the sauce, and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired for perfect balance.
- Garnish: Remove the skillet from heat and sprinkle the remaining green onion tops and sesame seeds over the ground orange chicken for added texture and flavor.
- Serve: Spoon the ground orange chicken over bowls of hot cooked rice or your favorite grain, adding extra green onions and sesame seeds on top if you like.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed orange juice and zest for the best bright citrus flavor.
- Adjust the level of red pepper flakes to your preferred spice tolerance.
- Low sodium soy sauce can be used to reduce salt content.
- Serve with steamed white rice, brown rice, or quinoa for a complete meal.
- Sesame seeds are optional but add a nice nutty crunch and visual appeal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-American
