Raspberry Orange Chicken Sauce for Easy Chicken Dinner

This raspberry orange chicken sauce is the perfect sweet and tangy sauce for chicken to simmer in. Even our kids couldn’t get enough of it!

ORANGE CHICKEN RECIPE HEALTHY YET FLAVORFUL

Orange chicken is pretty much my favorite Chinese takeout. Breaded deep fried chicken bits, smothered in an orange sweet and sour sauce, that cover your fingers in sticky goodness. What’s not to love?

Well…the calorie, carb, and fat content. Traditional orange chicken just doesn’t go well with the healthy lifestyle our family seeks to embrace.

So I make this orange chicken recipe healthy by getting rid of the breading, and simmering the chicken in the orange chicken sauce to cook (instead of deep frying!).

You can serve this over rice, or continue the healthy trend by serving with quinoa or cauliflower rice.

RASPBERRY ORANGE CHICKEN SAUCE

Another thing I love about this recipe is how easy it is to modify.

Want a really spicy sauce?  Increase the cayenne pepper to a whole teaspoon.  Want a stronger orange flavor?  Add the zest of an orange to your sauce.

Looking for a one-pan dinner?  Add some frozen vegetables, such as peas and carrots, to cook in the sauce as it reduces.

The fresh mint is a beautiful garnish to this dish, and adds another note of flavor for complexity – with very little work!

HOW CAN I THICKEN UP MY ORANGE CHICKEN SAUCE?

The recipe has you reduce the orange chicken sauce (simmering it to evaporate some of the liquid and thicken the sauce). But if you want an even thicker sauce (like the goopy sauces from your favorite takeout) you can use a bit of cornstarch or rice flour to thicken it up.

Make sure to remove your chicken before using this method to thicken up your orange chicken sauce. And don’t forget to add the cornstarch nutritional info if you are counting calories or WW points.

• Stir a tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/4 cup warm water until totally mixed.
• Bring your sauce to a simmer and stir in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch slurry.
• Let simmer and thicken for 1 minute, then add another tablespoon of slurry if you want it even thicker.
• If you get your orange chicken sauce too thick, add a little water.

PIN TO SAVE FOR LATER!

MORE HEALTHIER ASIAN RECIPES:

• Mongolian Beef Zucchini Noodle Stir Fry
• Beef Broccoli
• Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad
• Chicken Egg Roll Bowl

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Yield: 8 servings

Raspberry Orange Chicken Sauce

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This raspberry orange chicken sauce is the perfect sweet and tangy sauce for chicken to simmer in. Even our kids couldn't get enough of it! Feel free to skip the cayenne if you don't want a little bit of heat. You can also add some orange zest to boost the orange flavor even more! Adapted with permission from Genius Kitchen. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved

Orange-Raspberry Sauce

• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup Reisling (or other white wine)
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper, optional
• fresh mint to garnish

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil; heat until it begins to ripple.
2. Brown chicken, about three minutes per side until lightly browned.  Remove from skillet and set aside, keeping warm.
3. Lower heat and saute shallots and garlic until soft.
4. Whisk wine, orange juice, jam, soy sauce, honey, salt, and cayenne in a bowl then pour into the skillet, mixing with the shallots and garlic.
5. Return chicken to skillet.
6. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, occasionally basting chicken with sauce.
7. Remove lid, increase heat to medium, and simmer 5-10 minutes to reduce and thicken sauce.
8. Serve chicken and sauce over rice, if desired.  Garnish with fresh mint.

Notes

Make sure to use GLUTEN FREE soy sauce if you need this recipe gluten free.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

8 servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 129Cholesterol: 36mgSodium: 340mgCarbohydrates: 9gSugar: 6gProtein: 12g