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
Units
Scale
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
