Mandarin Chicken
Yield: 4 servings
Inspired by Chinese takeout, this Mandarin Chicken features tender bites of chicken tossed in a sticky, sweet and savory sauce. It's an easy chicken recipe that's ready in 30 minutes - your family will love it!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces and patted dry with paper towel
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional (add more if you like)
- Sliced green onion and sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Set a wok or large skillet with tall sides over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and sesame oil.
- Once oil starts to shimmer, carefully add the chicken to the skillet in a single layer. Sprinkle the chicken fairly generously salt & pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or just until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside (it will not be fully cooked on the inside).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and zest, soy sauce, water, honey, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the sauce to the chicken. Fold to combine.
- Cook the chicken for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened into a glaze and the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165° F. If the sauce is darkening too quickly, reduce the heat a bit more.
- Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, and enjoy hot.
Notes
This recipe makes enough for 2 larger portions or 4 small portions.
If the sauce is thinner than you'd like: Remove 2 tablespoons of the sauce to a small bowl or cup and whisk in 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to create a slurry. Then drizzle the slurry back into the skillet, whisking it into the bubbling sauce. Let the sauce cook for another minute or 2, until thickened.
If the sauce is thicker than you'd like: Whisk in some water or more freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the sauce is to your desired consistency.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 343kcal Carbohydrates: 15g Protein: 38g Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 3g Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 96mg Sodium: 962mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 10g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.