Chicken a L'Orange

Chicken a l’orange doesn’t have to be heavy. This lighter version pan-cooks chicken breasts without oil, then tops them with a glossy orange sauce made from fresh juice, honey, orange zest, and a splash of orange liqueur.

The sauce thickens with just a small amount of cornstarch, so it coats the chicken in a shiny glaze without any butter or cream. Fresh orange sections stirred in at the end add juicy bursts of fruit that make this feel more like restaurant food than a weeknight dinner.

Cook the sauce until it thickens and turns translucent. If it still looks cloudy, the cornstarch hasn’t fully activated and the sauce will taste starchy instead of silky.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a nonstick pan and get it properly hot before adding the chicken. A cold pan means sticking and tearing.
• Don’t flip the chicken more than once. One good sear per side gives you better texture.
• Segment the oranges cleanly, cutting between the membranes. Membrane pieces in the sauce are chewy and unpleasant.
• Grand Marnier or Cointreau both work well here. If skipping the liqueur, just use extra orange juice.

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a sweet-heat combination.
• Use blood oranges when they’re in season for a gorgeous deep red sauce.
• Serve over couscous or steamed jasmine rice to catch all the sauce.