Juicy Mandarin Chicken (Simple and Delicious)

This tangy Mandarin chicken recipe is simple but delicious, and it’s inspired by a popular takeout dish.

Juicy chicken in bite-size pieces glazed with orange juice, ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar. For a complete meal, serve over white rice or cauliflower rice.

Why Will You Enjoy This Recipe?

• One of my favorite takeout meals is Mandarin chicken. It’s difficult to get enough of the tender chicken and sweet & savory sauce! This simple at-home version provides the same delectable dish while allowing you to control the ingredients and ensure that it always turns out perfectly.
• This recipe is incredibly simple. The glaze comes together quickly – simply whisk together the ingredients! Brown the chicken for a few minutes, then pour the glaze over it and let the heat do the rest.
• You don’t need any fancy sides to compliment the Mandarin chicken. I prefer it over a bed of white rice, but you could also use cauliflower rice. Broccoli would also go with it really well!

Key Ingredients

• Orange Juice – OJ adds a dash of sweetness and a wonderful orange taste to the dish. However, it isn’t so intense that it overwhelms the other flavors in the sauce. If you’re managing your sugar intake, opt for orange juice with less or no sugar added.
• You could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
• Ginger — All you need is a small 1-inch piece of ginger to add another layer of flavor to this Mandarin chicken.
• Cornstarch – Just a little to thicken the sauce.

Chef’s Advice

• Play around with the ingredient quantities in the Mandarin chicken sauce to get your ideal flavor combination. You may not need as much brown sugar if your orange juice is particularly sweet. You can add a little more soy sauce if you prefer a savory flavor overall.
• Don’t boil the sauce too long. It should thicken but not burn. Reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer as soon as it starts to bubble. To keep the chicken and sauce from sticking to the pan, stir it occasionally.
• On the same note, avoid overcooking the chicken. You simply want to brown it at first because you’ll be putting it back to the pan and cooking it with the sauce. I’m talking about 1 to 2 minutes per side. The actual cooking durations will vary depending on your stove, skillet, and chicken thickness.
• Try adding actual Mandarin orange slices to your Mandarin chicken if you truly like the flavor! You can use a drained can of Mandarin oranges in step 4 of the directions below, mixed in with the chicken and sauce.

Mandarin Chicken

This spicy Mandarin chicken recipe is simple yet tasty, and it’s inspired by a popular takeaway dish.

Juicy chicken in bite-size chunks glazed with orange juice, ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar. For a complete dinner, serve over white rice or cauliflower rice.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar or Brown Swerve
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1-inch long piece of ginger grated
• ½ tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts 3-4 chicken breasts depending on size
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• green onions are optional, for topping
• sesame seeds optional, for topping
• white rice or cauliflower rice is optional, for serving

Equipment

• Small bowl
• Whisk
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Large skillet

Directions For Mandarin Chicken

1. Combine orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Place aside.
2. Chicken breasts should be cut into bite-size pieces. Place aside.
3. Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is heated, add the chicken, being careful not to crowd it. As needed, work in batches. Cook chicken until both sides are browned, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove browned chicken and repeat until all chicken has been browned if working in batches.
4. Return all of the chicken to the skillet and top with the sauce. To distribute, stir well. Reduce heat to low once the sauce starts to boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
5. Serve with green onions and sesame seeds over white rice (or cauliflower rice) (optional).

Notes

• Gluten-Free Option: Use coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce.
• Make it Reduce the amount of sugar in your orange juice by choosing one with less or no added sugar. Brown
• Swerve can be used instead of brown sugar.
  Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat until thoroughly heated in the
• microwave or on the stovetop.

This recipe (Mandarin Chicken) makes around 4 servings of chicken with sauce. Your desired portion sizes will determine the number of servings.

The nutritional values given are for one serving of the ingredients specified, not including toppings or rice. The exact macros will vary depending on the brands and types of ingredients utilized.

Prepare the recipe as directed to get the weight of one serving. Weigh the final recipe, then divide the weight (not including the weight of the container in which the food is stored) by four. The weight of one serving will be the result.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 247kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 889mg, Potassium: 498mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 65IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 12g