Description
A delicious version of Asian-style orange chicken and ginger garlic green beans made with wholesome ingredients. It’s like Chinese take-out, but without the corn syrup and MSG!
Ingredients
Scale
Orange Sauce:
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed or all-natural orange juice
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
or rice vinegar
- 3–4 tablespoons Honey
or other sweetener of choice (more or less, to taste)
- 3 tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
, if gluten-free use Gluten-Free Tamari
, or Soy & Gluten Free Coconut Aminos
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (1 to 2 teaspoons of garlic powder)
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest (grated from the outer orange peel of 1 medium orange)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (1/4 teaspoon if using ground ginger)
- 1/2–2 teaspoons Sriracha
, to taste (use greater amount if you like it more for spicy)
- 4 tablespoon water mixed with 2 tablespoons Corn Starch
(or all-purpose flour)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Chicken:
- 2 lbs. boneless & skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch bite-size pieces (thighs are a little more tender and juicy in this recipe)
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup Corn Starch
- 2–3 beaten eggs
- Cooking oil to coat bottom of pan Avocado Oil
, Coconut Oil
, or vegetable oil
- chopped green onions and sesame seeds for sprinkling on top, optional
- steamed rice or quinoa to serve with, about 1 cup per person (optional)
Ginger Garlic Green Beans:
- 1/2 tablespoon butter (regular or dairy-free) or cooking oil
- 1 12 oz. bag of frozen whole green beans
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1–2 teaspoons peeled ginger root, minced
Instructions
Orange Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, combine orange juice, vinegar, honey (if you don’t like a lot of sweetness, start with less and add more to taste) soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, grated ginger, and sriracha (it’s very spicy. I suggest starting with less and adding more to taste.) Place saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat, stirring often. Taste and adjust sweetness and spices, to taste. Mix water and cornstarch together and add to the saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside for later.
Chicken:
- Cut your chicken breasts or thighs into bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch thick) and season the cut pieces with salt and pepper. Crack 2 eggs in a medium sized bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Set aside. You may need to add a third egg later, if you run out.
- Meanwhile, drizzle oil into a large frying pan, enough to lightly coat the bottom and set on the stove over medium-high heat. Place 1 cup of cornstarch into a gallon sized baggie or medium bowl. Place cut and seasoned chicken pieces into cornstarch and shake or toss to coat. Place cornstarch-coated chicken pieces into the egg mixture, lightly coat, and then spread chicken pieces out into a single layer in the hot frying pan. Be careful not to overcrowd; You will have to cook a few batches.
- Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked thoroughly. Remove chicken pieces to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process with remaining batches, adding a little more oil in between if needed. When all of the chicken is cooked, drain the pan and wipe clean, if needed.
- Place cooked chicken back into the pan and cover with the orange sauce. Put the skillet back onto the stove over medium-high heat and bring sauce to a simmer. Toss chicken in the sauce to coat. Remove from heat and top with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Serve with ginger garlic green beans and rice or quinoa.
Ginger Garlic Green Beans:
- Into a large skillet, heat butter or oil over medium-high heat. Place the frozen green beans into the hot pan, along with minced garlic and ginger. Turn the heat up to high and use tongs to continuously flip green beans in the pan to evenly cook. You want to cook these over high heat so that the water from the frozen green beans evaporates quickly and they don’t get soggy. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until green beans are heated through.
- Category: Meal, Chicken, Gluten Free
- Cuisine: Asian