Hey y'all! Chicken is a staple in my household. I guess you could say that we're chicken people. I mean, you can't go wrong with chicken, right? There are so many things you can do with this versatile piece of meat. Some of our favorite dishes are The Best Breaded Chicken EVER, Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Bread, Chicken Bacon Alfredo Stuffed Bread and Orange Chicken.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved sitting down in front of a big ole bowl of Orange Chicken. When I was younger, my mom and I would go shopping every weekend while my dad sat in front of the TV watching football. Each Sunday we would grab lunch while we were out and often times we stopped by a local Chinese restaurant to get our Asian food fix. As a creature of habit, I have a tendency of sticking with a menu item once I find something I loved. Without fail, if we were having Chinese food, I was ordering Orange Chicken.
I was bound and determined to find a delicious Orange Chicken recipe that I could make at home and ladies and gents, I have found it! It is so incredibly simple and outrageously good! And best of all? It's baked! That means no deep-frying, no smelly hot oil, no greasy cleanup and no regrets for eating the whole batch! Unlike my crock pot Orange Chicken, this dish begins with a breaded chicken which takes this recipe up about 10 notches!
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
3 large eggs
3 cups breadcrumbs
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup hoisin sauce or barbecue sauce
1 tbsp garlic
1 1/2 cups orange marmalade
Orange zest (optional)
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Trim the chicken breasts and cut into 1-inch pieces.
3. Add flour to a sealable, gallon size plastic bag. Add the chicken and seal the bag. Shake vigorously until the chicken is well coated.
4. In a shallow dish, add eggs and whisk until combined.
5. In a second shallow dish, add the breadcrumbs.
6. Remove the chicken from the bag piece by piece. Shake off any excess flour, dip the chicken into the eggs, then the breadcrumbs and place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Continue until each piece is well coated. Bake the chicken pieces for 20-25 minutes, flipping them once halfway through. While the chicken is baking, begin preparing the sauce.
8. Add sesame oil and olive oil to a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
9. Add the garlic and ginger to the pot. Cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
10. Add the hoisin sauce or barbecue sauce, orange marmalade, soy sauce and optional ingredients.
11. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly, transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Pour the sauce on top of the chicken and toss until combined. Serve immediately.
Doesn't it look divine? It is incredibly easy to make and tastes way better than take-out! I would much rather have this than a bowl of MSG any day!
I love to serve the chicken with a scoop of brown rice and a serving of steamed vegetables. I challenge you... put away your take-out menu and give this recipe a try!
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