Sticky Orange Chicken With Chilli Greens (Printable)

Golden chicken glazed in citrus sauce over vibrant chili-spiked greens for a zesty Asian-inspired dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
05 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Orange Sticky Sauce

06 - 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons honey
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
12 - 1 clove garlic minced
13 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
14 - Zest of 1 orange

→ Chilli Greens

15 - 7 oz tenderstem broccoli trimmed
16 - 5 oz sugar snap peas trimmed
17 - 1 red chili thinly sliced
18 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
19 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
20 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Garnish

21 - 2 spring onions thinly sliced
22 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
23 - Orange zest optional

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season evenly with salt and black pepper. Toss chicken in cornstarch until completely coated on all sides.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, brown sugar, grated ginger, minced garlic, and orange zest until well combined. Pour mixture into the same skillet used for chicken.
04 - Bring sauce mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Return chicken to skillet, turning pieces to coat completely in sticky sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until chicken is glazed.
05 - While sauce thickens, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Add broccoli and sugar snap peas; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add sliced chili and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil; toss to coat evenly.
06 - Slice glazed chicken thighs into strips. Arrange chicken over bed of chilli greens. Spoon remaining orange sauce over chicken. Garnish with sliced spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, and extra orange zest if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The orange glaze becomes outrageously sticky and glossy, coating every bite of chicken in this finger-licking situation
  • Those chilli greens bring this fresh, crisp heat that cuts right through the sweet glaze
  • Whole thing comes together in under an hour but tastes like you fussed over it all evening
02 -
  • Cornstarch slurry must be cold when you add it or it will clump up instead of thickening smoothly
  • The sauce continues to thicken off heat so pull it slightly earlier than you think is right
  • High heat on the greens is essential for that stir-fry flavor and quick tender-crisp texture
03 -
  • Zest your orange before squeezing it for juice, way easier to handle when it still has all its structure
  • Let the chicken rest for a couple minutes after slicing so it holds onto those juices when you serve

Go back