Description
Baked Orange Chicken is a flavorful and juicy dish featuring tender boneless chicken thighs simmered in a tangy-sweet orange sauce. This oven-baked recipe combines fresh orange juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger to create a deliciously sticky glaze. Garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, it’s perfect served over steamed rice for an easy, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs, skinless
Orange Sauce
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Thickening & Garnish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Sliced green onions for garnish
- Orange slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the chicken.
- Prepare Sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, orange zest, and black pepper until well combined to create a flavorful glaze.
- Arrange Chicken: Place the boneless chicken thighs in a single layer in a baking dish, ensuring even cooking.
- Add Sauce: Pour the prepared orange sauce evenly over the chicken, coating all pieces thoroughly.
- Bake Covered: Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook gently in the sauce.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes to cook the chicken fully and start thickening the sauce.
- Prepare Thickener: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth to create a slurry for thickening the sauce.
- Thicken Sauce: Stir the cornstarch mixture into the baking dish juices, then return the dish to the oven and bake for 5 more minutes until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
- Rest Chicken: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and flavors to settle.
- Garnish: Sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced green onions on top, and optionally add orange slices for extra color and aroma.
- Serve: Serve the baked orange chicken hot, ideally with steamed rice or your favorite side dishes for a complete meal.
Notes
- For extra crispy skin, broil the chicken uncovered for 2-3 minutes at the end of baking.
- You can substitute chicken breasts if preferred, but adjust cooking time accordingly to avoid drying out.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a spicy kick.
- This dish reheats well in the oven or microwave, making it great for meal prep.
- For gluten-free option, use tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
