Quick Orange Chicken and Broccoli

Toss the takeout menus in favor of a 20-minute recipe for Quick Orange Chicken and Broccoli.

Regardless of the fact that I’m currently 93 months pregnant with baby number 3 (!), I crave Chinese takeout all day, every day.

I love the salty, crunchy allure of perfectly fried egg rolls; the flavor burst of potstickers; the twirl-ability of the ultimate chicken lo mein; and most important on my list, any sort of sticky-sweet, garlicky soy sauce-coated chicken/beef/shrimp/pork and veggies piled high on a bed of rice.

That is where this insanely satisfying, better-than-takeout homemade version of Quick Chicken and Broccoli joins the party!

Imagine if beef and broccoli and orange chicken had a food baby. The result is juicy chicken thighs and crisp-tender broccoli florets tossed in the most flavor-packed orange chicken sauce made with just a few pantry ingredients.

If you aren’t sold yet, I’ve got one last little sticky-sweet nugget to entice you…

This recipe is going to be on your table in 20 minutes. I repeat: 20 MINUTES!

Now all you have to do is decide if you’re going to serve it over plain rice, fried rice or even tucked inside lettuce wraps for an added refreshing crunch.

Want to keep this takeout-fakeout train rolling? Don’t miss additional top-rated recipes below!

Easy General Tso’s Chicken: Get the Recipe

Drunken Noodles with Chicken: Get the Recipe

30-Minute Mongolian Beef: Get the Recipe

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Quick Orange Chicken and Broccoli

2
medium oranges
1/2
cup
low-sodium soy sauce
1/4
cup
packed light brown sugar
1/4
cup
rice wine vinegar
1/2
teaspoon
crushed red chili flakes (optional)
1
Tablespoon
cornstarch
2
Tablespoons
vegetable oil
2
pounds
boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
1
Tablespoon
minced garlic
4
cups
broccoli florets (See Kelly’s Note)

Zest and juice the oranges. To a medium bowl, add 2 teaspoons orange zest and 1/2 cup orange juice.

To the bowl, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, crushed red chili flakes (optional) and cornstarch. Whisk together the sauce then set it aside.

Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

Add the broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until the broccoli is tender, about 4 minutes. (If the broccoli has been blanched, reduce the cook time to 1 minute.)

Add the prepared sauce and bring it to a boil until it has thickened and is syrupy in consistency, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice or noodles.

Kelly’s Note:

As an optional additional step, and to ensure the broccoli maintains its bright green color, blanch it in boiling water for 15 seconds then thoroughly drain and dry it.

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