Creamy, easy, and with that perfect balance of flavors, here's a super recipe you can't go wrong with! Chicken with creamy orange sauce that's worth a shot!
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I’ve always been a fan of takeout copycat recipes, and that’s when I thought of trying my hands at the lip-smacking orange chicken you’d usually find at most Chinese restaurants.
And guess what? I succeeded and how! I came up with this insanely delicious recipe and gave it my own little twist! Try making this chicken with creamy orange sauce when you want to whip up a quick dinner and still pamper your taste buds.
I Don’t Have Fresh Oranges. Can I Use Packaged Juice Instead?
You totally can. Just make sure you choose the unsweetened variety. Of course, it is always a good idea to use freshly squeezed orange juice, but if you’re not too keen on spending a lot of time in the kitchen, and just want to enjoy a quick meal, you can always choose convenience and go for the packaged version.
What Can I Use Instead of Cream Cheese?
Cream cheese lends a nice layer of creaminess to the dish. It also helps lighten the flavor, so the orange flavors don’t get too intense. However, you might not always have cream cheese at hand, and if that’s the case, substituting with mascarpone cheese is your best bet.
It is super creamy, has a richer texture, and replicates cream cheese almost entirely in any recipe. To get that little sour taste that cream cheese has, add squeeze a bit of lemon juice into the mascarpone cheese. If you don’t have mascarpone, you can use any other cheese spread that you have. Hung curd can also be an excellent swap for cream cheese in most recipes, especially since it has a lower fat content.
What Do I Use if I Don’t Have Cornstarch?
Cornstarch is actually a wonderful thickener and you can use its slurry to thicken up pretty much anything and everything- your soups and curries, your sauces and even pie fillings!
If you’ve run out of cornstarch and are looking for alternatives, here are a few that work well.
- Arrowroot powder
- Tapioca flour
- Rice flour
- Potato starch
- Wheat flour
If you don’t have any of these and still want to thicken your creamy orange sauce, you can add in some thick fresh cream. It won’t work as great as any of these will, but it’ll still help you get a modestly creamy sauce.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
This chicken with creamy orange sauce can be a great meal in itself, but if you’re looking to serve it with a little something or are on the hunt for some good sides to team it up with, here are are a few ideas to get you going.
Serve it on a bed of stir fried noodles or steamed rice.
Pair it with a nice healthy side of steamed broccoli or green beans or stir-fried asparagus, bell peppers, bok choy, or mushrooms. You can also toss some leftovers into a big bowl of salad like this Honey Ginger Salad and make it more protein-rich.
Chicken with Creamy Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 lbs chicken, breasts or thighs, or a combination
- 3 tbsp oil
- ¼ c brandy or
- 3 tbsp dry red wine
- 1 tbsp vodka mixed with brandy or red wine
- ½ c white wine vinegar
- ½ c lemon juice
- ½ tsp orange extract
- ¼ c fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
- ½ c 1:1 stevia powder
- 6 oz cream cheese cubed
- 2 tbsp cornstarch in ¼ cup of water
- 8 green onions finely sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sear the chicken in hot oil in a skillet.
- Place the chicken in 9x13 pan.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the brandy & vodka mixture (or substitute), white wine vinegar, lemon juice, orange extract, orange zest, stevia powder.
- Pour the mixture over the chicken, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 F for 50 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 F.
- At the end of the cooking time, remove the chicken to a foil covered plate and strain the juices in the pan into a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.
- At this point, stir in the cream cheese until it is melted and evenly combined.
- In ¼ cup of water, whisk 2 tbsp of cornstarch to form a slurry.
- Add the slurry to the sauce to thicken it when it comes to a boil. It is important to stir the sauce frequently to avoid burning.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and serve the sauce over the chicken.
- Garnish with the green onions.
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