Thursday, April 25, 2013

Lighter Orange Chicken Stir Fry


Growing up I was a horrible eater. I didn't eat any fruit or vegetables (except lettuce and corn) until I was like 20. Now I eat just about everything but it's still not natural- I still have to force myself. I'll find myself subconsciously picking veggies out of food even though I like them! Some habits are hard to kick I guess. With that said, I really make an effort to do better and eat better than where my instincts lead me. When it comes to Asian food I know there's good choices (leaner meat, stir fried with veggies, etc.) vs. bad choices (deep fried and covered in sweet sticky sauces) but I'm sure you know where I instinctually go. Yup- sesame chicken/general tsos, etc. I only do it once in a while but I love it! When a craving for orange chicken hit I decided to try to make it at home and make it healthier. This came out great! Will it replace the craving for traditional orange chicken? No... I mean it's totally different, but it did hit the spot and we were both really happy with this meal!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Sauce:
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Stir fry:
1/2 pound chicken, cut into chunks
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups assorted veggies (I used zucchini, bell peppers, and snap peas, but anything works)

Directions:
1- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2- In a separate bowl toss the chicken and cornstarch. Meanwhile, add the oil to a large skillet or wok and heat.
3- Dip the coated chicken in the egg and immediately transfer to the hot oil, repeating until all chicken is covered in egg and in the pan.
4- Allow to brown on each side, cooking until cooked through.
5- Remove the chicken and cover. Add the veggies to the skillet with 1-2 tbsp of the sauce mix. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes, until veggies are softening.
6- Pour in the remaining sauce and turn up the heat to high until the sauce begins to thicken/cook down. Add the chicken back into the skillet and  stir well.
7- Once the sauce is thicker and coating the chicken/veggies, serve over rice or toss with rice noodles.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for posting this stir fry recipe. I'm glad I read your blog because I have found a new recipe and it is very nice. I will refer this article to my friends because it is a very interesting recipe. Keep sharing!.

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    ReplyDelete