Somebody's Dinner: Orange Chicken

One of my favorite meals is orange chicken, whether made at home for a light version or going out to eat. This version is flavorful without being overly sweet.

Ingredients

2 chicken thighs or 1 large chicken breast, diced (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
2-4 tablespoons olive oil for frying
1-2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Rice to serve over

Marinade

1/3 cup water

Juice from 1 large orange (about 1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger root (or use 1/4 teaspoon dried ground ginger)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

1) Stir together all the ingredients in the marinade. Place chopped chicken in a Ziploc sandwich bag and put only 3 tablespoons of the marinade into the bag. Zip the bag securely, gently tilt and squeeze to coat all the chicken, place in a bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days. Keep the reserved marinade in the refrigerator as well, separate from the raw chicken.

2) Heat a pan to medium heat. When hot, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and the broccoli. Stir fry 8-12 minutes, stirring frequently. If pan becomes dry, add 1-2 tablespoons more oil. When broccoli is tender and browned on both sides, remove to a separate bowl.

3) Meanwhile, place the reserved marinade in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil. In a small separate dish combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, whisking until smooth. Add to the saucepan, whisking to prevent lumps. Turn to low and cook 2-3 minutes, until thickened. If not thick enough, add more cornstarch whisked into water.

4) In the same pan you cooked the broccoli, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chicken. Discard any marinade that was on the chicken. Cook chicken 4-5 minutes, stirring often until just cooked through and slightly browned on both sides. Add broccoli back to the pan to reheat over low.

5) To serve, put over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Add extra sauce as desired. Serves 3-4.