Orange-Glazed Chicken
In an effort to reduce our red meat intake, we eat a lot of chicken. But I have to say, once in a while I get really bored with chicken, so I am always looking for new ways to give it a bit more pizzazz. This recipe caught my eye because it was part of a dinner party menu. I rarely make chicken for guests because of the “boring” factor, so I wanted to try this recipe to see if it was guest worthy. I have to say I would not hesitate to serve this to guests, but it makes a great “any day” dinner as well. It is pretty easy to make and it really compliments the quinoa recipe I posted earlier. Together they make an excellent meal. I do warn you though…this is not low-calorie as it has brown sugar and honey in it….but it is so delicious!
Orange-Glazed Chicken
Ingredients:
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup orange juice
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup hoisin sauce (found in the international aisle of most grocery stores)
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 3 tablespoons orange zest, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup scallions, finely chopped (only the light and dark green sections)
Steps: (This makes 8 servings and takes a little more than an hour to prepare.)
Orange-glazed Chicken (without the garnish)
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- To make the glaze, in a bowl, whisk the broth, orange juice, honey, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons of the orange zest; set mixture aside.
- Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Place as many of the chicken breasts as will fit in the heated pan, searing until lightly browned on both sides. Place the chicken on a plate and repeat this step with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat; pour in the glaze mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the mixture is reduced by a third.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, arranging it in a snug, even layer. (If the pan isn’t large enough, you can transfer the chicken and glaze into a large baking dish, but then you will have to transfer the glaze back to the skillet later in the recipe.)
- Place the chicken in the oven and roast it for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165°F.
- Remove the chicken and place it on a large platter; tent with foil to keep warm.
- Set the skillet with the glaze mixture over medium-high heat (remember the pan will be hot, so be careful), and bring the glaze to a simmer. Reduce the sauce by about a third, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the glaze over the chicken. Garnish with the scallions and remaining orange zest, and serve.
Note: I was trying this recipe for taste, not presentation. It looks more inviting with the garnish, so be sure to save the extra zest and use the green onions.
Enjoy!
Dugan's Kitchen 