Chicken with Orange Sauce- New Ama Cookbook
Submitted by jon don
Heart-healthy braised chicken in a tangy orange sauce with brown sugar, ginger, sherry, and soy. A skinless braised chicken dish from the AMA cookbook that’s lower-fat without sacrificing flavor.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2 hrsThis orange chicken is the home-cooked, heart-healthy version of the takeout favorite. Sourced from the American Medical Association cookbook, it skips the deep-frying and cuts the fat by stripping the chicken of skin, broiling instead of pan-searing, and braising in a tangy orange-soy-sherry sauce. The result is fork-tender chicken with a glossy citrus glaze and none of the heavy oily aftermath.
Frozen orange juice concentrate (not bottled juice) is the trick here. The concentrate is twice as intense, which means deeper orange flavor without watering down the sauce. Bottled juice tastes weak by comparison and won’t reduce to the right glossy consistency.
The two-step cooking method (broil first, then braise) gives you the best of both worlds. The broiler crisps and browns the surface, building flavor through Maillard browning. The braise then takes over and tenderizes the meat in the orange sauce until it’s nearly fall-off-the-bone.
Ground ginger and a teaspoon of dry sherry add the slightly Chinese-American character that makes this taste like good takeout instead of fussy braised chicken. The sherry cooks off entirely but leaves behind nutty depth.
Serve over steamed rice with the sauce spooned generously over everything.
Pro Tips
- Trim every visible bit of fat before broiling. Skinless chicken still has fat deposits and they render unpleasantly during the long braise.
- Pull the chicken at 165°F (74°C) internal. Overcooking dry chicken breast even in sauce.
- If the sauce looks thin at the end, remove the chicken and reduce the sauce on high heat for 5 minutes to concentrate.
Variations
- Swap chicken pieces for boneless thighs for richer flavor and more forgiving cooking time.
- Add 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce to the orange mixture for a sweet-savory Chinese-restaurant style version.
- Serve chilled the next day for a picnic-friendly cold chicken dish (the recipe note suggests this works beautifully).
Ingredients
Directions
Orange juice tenderizes and adds flavor.
Brown the chicken pieces under a broiler.
Cook with onion and sauce on the stove top or oven.
Wash a 2½ to 3 pound chicken.
Pat dry with paper towels.
Cut into serving pieces; remove all visible fat.
Turn on the broiler.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray; set aside.
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with paprika and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Broil the chicken about 6 inches from the heat until lightly browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove from the broiler and transfer the pieces to a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet and top with onion slices.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together all the orange sauce ingredients.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and onions.
- STOVE TOP (see alternative). Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and continue cooking until chicken is done and tender, about 55 minutes.
(Altertively, place the browned chicken and onion slices in a casserole dish.
Pour orange juice mixture over all and bake, covered, in a preheated 350-degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
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