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Healthy Sticky Orange Chicken

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A quick and easy healthy sticky orange chicken recipe with a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors, featuring crispy chicken thighs coated in a fresh orange glaze.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless skin-on chicken thighs
  • Fresh juice from 2 medium oranges
  • Zest from 1 orange
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Thinly sliced green onions (optional garnish)
  • Toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels, trim excess fat but keep skin intact.
  2. Place cornstarch in a shallow bowl and lightly dredge each chicken thigh, shaking off excess.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Set aside.
  4. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 5-6 minutes without moving to crisp skin.
  5. Flip chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes until golden and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
  6. Lower heat to medium and pour orange glaze into the skillet. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
  7. Return chicken to skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the glaze. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken.
  8. Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Do not crowd the pan to keep chicken skin crispy. Use room temperature chicken for even cooking. Be patient with sauce thickening to avoid bitterness. Rest chicken before glazing to lock in juices. Fresh ginger and garlic add essential flavor depth. If sauce is too thin, simmer longer; if too thick, add a splash of water or orange juice.

Nutrition

Keywords: healthy orange chicken, sticky orange chicken, easy dinner recipe, chicken thighs recipe, gluten-free orange chicken, low sugar orange chicken

Find it online: https://chloeplate.com/healthy-sticky-orange-chicken-recipe-easy-weekend-winner-for-dinner/