The Easiest Dinner This Week, Mandarin Orange Chicken [Recipe]

If you are craving Chinese food, but you are tired of takeout, this orange chicken recipe is perfect for you. You need to look no further than your pantry and refrigerator.

While it may seem complicated, this decadent dish is easy to make, and you will want to make it constantly from now on.

Use The Food in Your Kitchen Today to Make a Tasty Orange Chicken

First things first, let’s talk mandarin orange sauce!

Everyone knows that fruit goes bad quickly, so if you have oranges or mandarins, now is the time to use them.

However, if you don’t have fresh fruit, use your orange juice in the fridge, or the cans of fruit you have been saving up.

Another important part of the sauce is the vinegar, but if you don’t have white vinegar, you can try using apple cider vinegar or even rice wine vinegar.

As for the cornstarch, it is a key part of giving your sauce thickness, so you should use another thickener instead, like all-purpose flour or xanthan gum.

Finally, if you don’t have any yellow mustard, you can use mustard powder, or extra garlic and pepper instead.

Now, let’s move on to the meat and vegetables!

If you are a saver, then you surely have canned chicken. However, if that isn’t the case, you can use leftover chicken, pork, or turkey.

To use the meat, simply drain it, then dry it accordingly. The essential part is to make sure the chicken doesn’t overcook if it’s already prepared beforehand.

The vegetables in this recipe are easy to find, and most of us have some at home.

If, though, you don’t have onions, consider adding onion powder and replace them with mushrooms, or green beans.

As you may know, bell peppers are one main ingredient in many Asian dishes, but when you can’t use any, consider adding carrots and peanuts for crunch.

Any vegetables that add flavor and texture work well in this meal.

So, what are you waiting for? Make a decadent orange chicken dinner with low effort!

Mandarin Orange Chicken

Course: Dinner

Servings

4

servings

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 cans 12.5 oz (approx 312 g) chunk chicken, drained

• 3/4 cup (96 g) canned mandarin oranges, undrained

• 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 3/4 tsp prepared yellow mustard

• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp minced onions (fresh or dehydrated)

• 1/2 cup (64 g) fresh green bell pepper, diced or 1/3 cup (approx 40 g) dehydrated diced bell peppers

• cooked rice for serving

Directions

• In a small bowl, separate the juice from the oranges and set both aside.
• Meanwhile, using a skillet (frying pan), heat the oil over medium heat and saute the chicken.
• Get a small bowl and combine the juice from the oranges and mix with soy sauce, cornstarch, yellow mustard, and vinegar. Whisk it together and set aside.
• You can now add in the bell peppers and onions in the skillet with the chicken. Stir and pour over the marinade mixture. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.
• Then, add in the oranges you set aside earlier. Cover and cook for 5 min.
• Best served with rice. Enjoy!