Sweet & Sour Chicken & Vegetable Saute
Submitted by tcrane
Sweet and sour chicken saute with orange juice, white wine, raspberry vinegar, and rosemary, finished with fresh orange segments and avocado. Bistro-style chicken with bright pan sauce.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
25 minREADY
45 minA bistro-style chicken saute that pulls Mediterranean flavors into one skillet. The lightly floured chicken breasts sear in butter and oil first, then a quick pan sauce of orange juice, white wine, mushrooms, and rosemary simmers with the chicken to infuse the meat with bright citrus-herbal flavor.
Raspberry vinegar added at the end is the unexpected move that pulls the whole dish together. As the sauce reduces by a third, the vinegar’s fruity acidity sharpens the orange and creates the sweet-and-sour profile that gives this dish its name.
Pounding the chicken breasts to even thickness is essential. Uneven breasts cook unevenly, leaving thin ends overcooked and thick ends still pink. Even thickness means a single 5-minute cook hits the right doneness throughout.
The garnish of orange sections and avocado isn’t optional decoration. The cool segments of orange against the warm chicken and the creamy avocado against the tangy sauce create the textural contrast that elevates this from good to memorable.
Chef Tips
Dredge in flour just before cooking, not in advance. Pre-dredged chicken gets gummy as the flour absorbs moisture.
Sear in batches if your skillet doesn’t fit all six pieces flat. Crowded chicken steams instead of browning, costing you fond for the pan sauce.
Cut the orange segments over a bowl to catch the juice. Add that juice back to the sauce for extra citrus depth.
Slice the avocado just before serving. Cut too early and it browns visibly on the plate.
Variations
Substitute red wine vinegar or balsamic for the raspberry vinegar if you don’t have it.
Swap rosemary for thyme or tarragon for a different herbal profile.
Add a tablespoon of orange marmalade to the sauce for a sweeter, glossier finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Pound chicken slightly to flatten into even thickness.
Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
Heat butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium high heat.
Add chicken (in batches if necessary) and sauté on both sides until well browned.
Add orange juice, wine, mushrooms, parsley, orange peel and rosemary and bring to simmer.
Let simmer 5 minutes.
Transfer chicken to heated serving platter using slotted spoon.
Add vinegar to skillet and continue simmering, scraping up any browned bits, until sauce is reduced by ⅓.
Pour sauce over chicken, garnish with orange sections and avocado slices.
Serve immediately. Serve with a simple spinach salad, desert, bread, and a dry Chenin Blanc.
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