Kind of Orange Chicken
Since we are on the topic of comfort food in this issue, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my husband’s deep and abiding love for Chinese food. I’m not talking authentic Chinese cuisine here, but the Chinese American staples that he would get as a child eating out with his family. You know the restaurants that had free cups of green tea (with as much sugar as you wanted) and little bowls of fried noodles to tuck into before your meal came to the table. It’s been decades since we’ve eaten at such a restaurant, but now we can recreate the sweet savory tastes of the food at home.
Ingredients:
chicken:
about 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch bits (you could use chicken breasts, but I find they get a bit drier in this recipe)
1 teaspoon salt
a pinch of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
sauce:
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (should be about two oranges)
zest of two oranges
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup coconut aminos
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
green onions and sesame seeds for topping
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put your chicken pieces in a large bowl and top with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and arrowroot powder. Toss to coat the chicken well. Add the coconut oil and stir gently to get a bit of oil on each piece. Put the chicken on the baking sheet and spread into one layer so the chicken cooks evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pieces are browned.
While the chicken cooks, start the sauce. In a saucepan put all of the sauce ingredients over low heat. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes and let all the flavors come together. The arrowroot will thicken the sauce as it simmers.
When the sauce is done, toss the cooked chicken in and stir to coat. Serve over rice and enjoy!
