My son loves orange chicken. If I ask him for dinner ideas, he inherently always says “BURGERS!” Followed by: pizza. Then, when he actually takes the time to think about it, he asks for french toast or orange chicken.
I’m not sure why he loves orange chicken so much. And it’s funny, because when we actually order Chinese take out, he never asks to order orange chicken. But, when I make Chinese food at home? Orange chicken all the way.
There are a lot of recipes out there for orange chicken and a lot of different ways to make it. I love making orange chicken with fresh orange juice and orange zest. There is such vibrancy with eat bite when using a freshly squeezed orange over store-bought orange juice. And citrus zest always adds a brighter flavor to dishes.
I take this dish one step further and up the flavor profile, giving it a nice blend between sweet and spicy. Sambal oelek and sweet chili paste compliment the freshly squeezed orange juice and the umami of the soy sauce. If you want it less spicy, add less sambal oelek, but don’t skip it completely because it really enhances the flavor of this dish!
I almost always opt for fresh ginger and garlic when making Asian dishes. Most dishes really benefit from the subtle flavors each provide. I generally never use ground ginger or even ginger paste from a tube because neither provide the same flavoring as fresh ginger. And I know the ginger in a tube seems so easy, but it adds virtually nothing to the dish. To me, don’t waste your money. You’re better off just skipping it all together.
Ginger can seem intimidating because: how the heck do you peel that thing? The best way to peel ginger is to take the rim of a teaspoon and scrape along the ginger at about a 45° angle. You can pop off any nubs that are too difficult to peel and cut off the ends with a knife. From there, use a really sharp nice or a mini food processor to finely mince your ginger. You’ll find that it is actually quite easy and the added flavor is worth the effort!
I used mini sweet peppers with this dish to enhance the sweet and spicy profile. Not every grocer sells the mini sweet peppers, so feel free to substitute with regular bell peppers. But if you can find mini sweet peppers, be sure to use those! They’re actually quite yummy raw too!
This is a great weeknight meal. It’s easy to prep and quick to cook, and it’s all cooked in the same saucepan or wok! If you’re pairing this with rice, two dishes to clean up! And I definitely recommend pairing this with rice 😉.
Enjoy!
Spicy Orange Chicken with Sweet Peppers
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Asian, Chinese
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
1 naval orange, juiced & zested
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sweet chili sauce (or more to taste)
2 TBs rice vinegar
2 TBs sambal oelek
2 TBs brown sugar
4 TBs cornstarch, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1” ginger, minced
8 oz mini sweet peppers, cut into bite sized pieces (substitute with 2 medium bell peppers, if desired)
½ red onion, roughly chopped
1 TB olive oil
To Serve
chopped green onions
chopped cilantro
Instructions
In a medium bowl or large measuring glass, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sweet chili sauce, sambal oelek, brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Set aside.
Toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, carefully swirl the oil to coat the pan. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, for five minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
If needed, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the peppers and onions and cook, stirring often, until they just start to soften ~ 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Return the chicken to the saucepan and pour in the sauce. Stir and bring to a light simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook 10 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
Serve over steamed white rice and top with chopped green onions and cilantro. Enjoy!
