Orange Chicken

I've been craving Chinese/Asian food lately, so this really hit the spot. The highlight of this dish was the orange marmalade, compliments of the $30 breakfast buffet at the Marriot Marquis New York City. I've been wanting to make my own orange chicken from scratch (just so I know what really goes in it), but have been too budget-conscious to pick up marmalade knowing that I will only need just a bit of it and probably won't use it otherwise. This dish is sponsored by the extra special family member that picked up that ginormous breakfast bill!

The marinating step is one that you can easy omit if you're like me and often fail to plan ahead in your meals. Luckily I had the assistance of an extra awesome helper who got home early enough to give the chicken about 2 to 3 hours to soak up some added orange-ness.

You'll see that I served this alongside some homemade vegetable fried rice (another dish I have been craving lately) that contained carrots, peas, and rutabaga. Feel free to compliment this dish with any vegetables you have on hand and some rice (or quinoa) to soak up the sauce.

The Stuff:

• sealable bag for marinating
• small bowl
• whisk (or fork)
• large saute pan

The Edibles:

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 c. orange juice
• 1 T. & 1 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp. ginger, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided (or the equivalent in jarred or powdered)
• shake of onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 3 T. orange marmelade
• 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/2 T. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 large shallot, minced

The Making:

1. Cut up chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place in a sealable bag to marinade with orange juice, 1 T. olive oil, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 clove garlic, onion powder, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl whisk together broth through cornstarch, remaining 1 tsp. ginger and 1 clove garlic. Set aside.
3. Spray a large saute pan with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Remove chicken from bag and place in saute pan. Discard marinade. Cook chicken for 5 to 7 minutes and remove from pan.
4. Add remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and shallots to the pan and cook on medium, stirring often. Cook until they begin to brown, about 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture prepared in step two and add it to the pan.
5. Bring sauce to a simmer, carefully scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to maintain simmer; cook until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
6. Add the chicken and return to a simmer. Cook, turning once or twice, until the chicken is heated through and fully coated, about 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and serve with sauteed vegetables and rice!