Ingredients
Scale
For Chicken:
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- kosher salt (as needed)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (or sesame oil)
Orange Sauce:
- 3 orange (2-3 juiced to make 1/2 cup; zest 1 )
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 tsp ginger (minced)
- 3 whole garlic cloves (minced; more as desired)
To Cook:
- 4 cup broccoli florets (chopped)
To Serve:
- green onions, sliced
- sesame seeds (as desired)
- cooked rice
Instructions
- To prep chicken, cube and pat completely dry. Sprinkle all over (be generous!) with kosher salt and toss. Let sit for 10 minutes while preparing sauce.
- To prepare sauce, whisk all sauce ingredients until combined. Set aside while cooking chicken.
- Just before cooking, toss chicken with cornstarch (in batches). Lay out on a fresh plate before cooking to avoid any excess moisture touching cornstarch-coated chicken.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil to medium-high heat (7/10) in a large pan (I like cast-iron)- use the biggest pan you have! Do not skimp on the oil, here. We’re pan-frying, not deep frying- but we want a similar effect!
- Once pan is hot (sizzles when you add a drop of water), sear cornstarch coated chicken in batches (I usually do half at a time) make sure the chicken is in one layer and is not crowded! Cook for 3 minutes until crispy and golden. Flip and cook another 3-4 until pieces are cooked through.
- While chicken is cooking, steam or blanch broccoli by bringing a pot 1/2 filled with water to a boil. If blanching, salt water, add broccoli and cook for 4 minutes (same time for steaming). Drain immediately and lay on a baking sheet or large plate to stop cooking.
- Once all chicken is cooked, remove from pan, turn heat down and remove any large pieces of breading. Add sauce and bring to a low simmer. Simmer until reduced by half.
- Add chicken, toss with orange sauce and toss in broccoli at the end. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice, with sesame seeds and green onions on top.