Orange Chicken Bowls
Orange Chicken Bowls make a really fantastic weeknight meal. All the flavors of your favorite Chinese take out, but no breading or deep frying. This recipe makes a great weeknight meal because it only takes 30 minutes or less. This recipe just uses ground chicken which cooks up super fast.
Bell peppers are a great addition to this dish, I think they pair really great with any Asian dish. You can use red, yellow, green, or orange. Any color bell pepper you like, or omit them if you’re not a fan. Some people think they all taste the same and I strongly disagree! I can definitely tell the difference between red and green.
The sauce
The orange sauce is packed with really great flavors. I use 100% orange juice and orange marmalade. The marmalade has bits of real orange peel in it that really stands out. The marmalade can be found by the jam and jelly in the grocery store. The sauce actually has some BBQ sauce in it, which seems odd but it really does not stand out over the orange flavor. I recommend using a mild “original” flavor sauce over something with a ton of smoke or other added flavors. If you’re using fresh squeezed orange juice you could zest some of the fresh orange to add in for a boost of orange flavor!
Do you ever notice that take-out broccoli is always so crisp?! I love steamed broccoli, but not when it gets too mushy. You can get fresh steamed and crisp broccoli in just about 2 minutes….from the microwave. It pairs wonderfully with this orange chicken. Serve over brown rice or any rice you like. If you’re a fried rice fan like me you’ve got to make Food Network’s recipe, it’s the only one I ever make.
This recipe would be easy to double if you want to get a family meal PLUS some lunches prepped for the week. Everything re-heats beautifully.
If you like it extra spicy I recommend adding in extra sriracha or red pepper flakes. Sweet heat!
Enjoy!
Love Asian flavors? Try some of my other tasty creations:
Asian Pork Tacos with Spicy Slaw
Orange Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 2 cups fresh broccoli steamed
- 4 servings brown rice cooked
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- sriracha
- sesame seeds for garnish
- scallions for garnish
Instructions
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In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice and corn starch until dissolved. Whisk in the rest of the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
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In a large skillet over med-high heat, add in the ground chicken, sesame oil, and chopped onions. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, breaking up into pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
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Turn heat up to high, and pour in the sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, sauce will begin to thicken, stir in sliced red bell peppers, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
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Add in red pepper flakes for added heat, or a splash of sriracha to taste. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve over steamed rice with broccoli. Garnish with sesame seeds and/or chopped scallions. Yum!
Recipe Notes
The orange marmalade is by the jam/jelly in the grocery store.
Use a BBQ sauce that is an “original” flavor. Nothing too smoky with added other flavors. I like to use Sweet Baby Rays or Famous Dave’s.
I always have brown rice on hand, but any rice or even cauliflower rice would be great with this. To very quickly steam your fresh broccoli florets, add to microwave safe bowl with about 1/2 cup water, cover with paper towel and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, microwave for another 1 min 30 seconds for perfectly crisp steamed broccoli! Drain excess water.
This dish would be great with any proteins. Ground turkey, beef, or pork would all work great.
6 Comments
Becky
This was a really easy, really delicious weeknight meal! I added red pepper flakes for a little spice which complemented the sweetness of the orange glaze perfectly. I also served with cauliflower rice. Great meal; I’ll be adding this to our regular rotation of favorites!
Laura Doerr
Thank you! I agree, the red pepper flakes or sriracha is the perfect match to the sweet sauce. I’m adding this to the weeknight rotation as well! Thanks for making!
Tracey
Made this tonight for dinner. Delicious! My husband and I added sriracha after the fact, which was perfect. Kids loved it as-is!
Laura Doerr
Wonderful! Sriracha is a great addition,thanks so much for making and reviewing!
Nicole K
Made this tonight, it was easy and flavorful! My family enjoyed it!
Laura Doerr
Wonderful! Thanks so much for making and sharing your feedback. I love that weeknight meal!