Let me take you on a delightful culinary journey with my *Ground Orange Chicken*. This vibrant, zesty dish is a weeknight wonder, bringing the perfect balance of sweet and savory to your table. A tangy orange sauce beautifully envelops the ground chicken, offering a burst of flavor in every bite. You’re going to love it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s perfect for those hectic weeknights.
- Flavorful Delight: The tangy orange sauce is a game-changer that brings a unique twist to ground chicken.
- Customizable: This recipe is easy to adjust based on your taste preferences, making it a family favorite.
- Minimal Ingredients: You won’t believe how a few simple pantry staples create such a layered taste.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Ground Orange Chicken uses simple yet essential ingredients that pack a punch. Each element adds to the vibrant palette of flavors, ensuring you’re not missing out on any part of this delightful dish.
- Ground Chicken: Provides a tender, juicy texture that soaks up all the flavors beautifully.
- Ginger and Garlic: These aromatics bring an irreplaceable depth to the dish, enhancing every bite.
- Orange Zest: Adds a fresh, citrusy kick that brightens up the entire meal.
- Soy Sauce and Rice Wine: These introduce a rich umami foundation that ties in wonderfully with the sweet and tangy notes.
- Sugar and White Vinegar: Create the perfectly balanced sweet and sour base for the sauce.
- Sesame Oil: Drizzled in for a finishing touch of nutty complexity.
Variations
This Ground Orange Chicken is incredibly versatile. Feel free to tweak the ingredients to suit your dietary needs or simply to experiment with flavors!
- Spicier Kick: Add extra crushed red chili pepper or even a splash of hot sauce for those who love it hot.
- Vegetable Boost: Toss in some sautéed bell peppers or broccoli for added crunch and color.
- Tofu Swap: For a vegetarian twist, replace ground chicken with crispy cubes of tofu.
- Sticky Sweet: For a sweeter sauce, increase the sugar by a couple of tablespoons and balance with an extra dash of vinegar.
How to Make Ground Orange Chicken
Step 1: Prepare the Orange Sauce
Combine rice wine, 2 tablespoons of water, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar, and orange zest in a bowl. This orange sauce will be the soul of your dish, ensuring every bite sings with flavor.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan and add the ground chicken. Let it form a nice crust before breaking it apart with a spatula. This gives a lovely texture contrast that enhances the meal.
Step 3: Add Aromatics and Thicken the Sauce
Once the chicken is cooked, add ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Stir gently for about 10 seconds. Pour in the orange sauce and bring it to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until it thickens beautifully.
Pro Tips for Making Ground Orange Chicken
- Sauce Perfectly Thickened: Make sure to cook the sauce on medium-high heat for it to achieve that glossy, thick finish.
- Aromatic Boost: Don’t let the garlic and ginger linger too long before adding the sauce, as their flavors can quickly turn bitter.
- Cornstarch Confidence: Stir the cornstarch well with water to fully dissolve it before introducing it to the hot ingredients, eliminating any lumps.
- Orange Selection: Use a fresh and vibrant orange for zesting to truly capture the essence of this dish’s flavor.
How to Serve Ground Orange Chicken
Garnishes
Top your Ground Orange Chicken with thinly sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. These additions not only add color but bring a subtle crunch and a burst of freshness.
Side Dishes
This dish pairs beautifully with fluffy jasmine rice or flavorful fried rice. If you’re looking for a lighter option, a crisp Asian slaw complements the rich, tangy notes of the chicken perfectly.
Creative Ways to Present
Serve your Ground Orange Chicken in a brightly colored bowl for a lovely contrast or spoon it into lettuce cups for an elegant appetizer presentation at your next gathering.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days without losing its bold flavors.
Freezing
You can freeze this dish too! Once cooled, place it in a freezer-safe container or bag, and it will keep well for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
To reheat, simply pour the chicken and sauce into a pan over medium heat and stir occasionally until warmed through. You can also microwave it for a quick fix—either way, it’s delicious!
FAQs
-
Can I use ground turkey instead of chicken?
Yes, ground turkey works as a great substitute and will still offer the same delightful flavors, although it might bring a slightly different texture to the dish.
-
Is there a non-alcoholic substitute for rice wine?
Absolutely! You can replace rice wine with apple cider vinegar or white grape juice. Both will maintain the balance of flavors without the alcohol content.
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Does this dish have to be spicy?
Not at all. You can easily adjust the amount of crushed red chili pepper to suit your heat tolerance, or omit it entirely for a milder version.
-
What if I don’t have fresh ginger?
If fresh ginger is unavailable, you can substitute it with 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, which will still impart a lovely, warm note to the dish.
Final Thoughts
I’m thrilled for you to try this Ground Orange Chicken. It’s a harmonious blend of flavors that sings with every bite, bringing a touch of sunshine to your dining table. Dive into this easy, delicious dish and let me know how you loved it!
Print
Ground Orange Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Stovetop
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
This flavorful Ground Orange Chicken recipe combines tender ground chicken with a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy orange sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, it features a savory sauce made with rice wine, soy sauce, vinegar, and orange zest, thickened with cornstarch for a glossy finish. Serve over rice or noodles for a delicious, satisfying meal in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Meat and Oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon oil
Flavor Base
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon hot red chili pepper, crushed
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 teaspoons soy sauce
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons white vinegar
- Zest of 1/2 orange
Thickening Agent
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine rice wine, 2 tablespoons water, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar, and orange zest. Mix well and set aside.
- Make cornstarch slurry: Dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water in a separate small bowl. Stir until smooth and set aside.
- Cook the ground chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook until it develops a good crust. Break it apart with a spatula, then cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until fully cooked.
- Add aromatics: Stir in minced ginger, garlic, and crushed red chili pepper. Cook for about 10 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared orange sauce into the pan and bring to a boil.
- Thicken the sauce: Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for a few seconds until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of red chili pepper to control spiciness.
- You can substitute fresh orange juice for the zest for more citrus flavor, but reduce the added sugar slightly.
- Serve over steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
- This dish is best prepared immediately for optimal flavor and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
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