We've enjoyed this fast and easy meal for over a decade, and it always hits the spot. The chicken is combined with sweet carrots and onions in a delicious sauce. When you serve it alongside orange rice, the flavors are perfect with each other. It's a sunny and comforting meal that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy. Yes, they may eat around the onions, but they will love them someday!
Sunshine Chicken with Orange Rice
4 servings
For the rice:
2/3 cup diced celery
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
In a saucepan, sauté the celery in butter until tender. Add the remaining ingredients; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
For the chicken:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups sliced carrots
1 small onion, sliced into rings
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup orange marmalade
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
In a large skillet, sauté chicken in butter for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and ginger. Stir in carrots and onions and cook for a few minutes. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and orange juice until smooth. Stir in marmalade, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Add to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Step-by-step tutorial:
You will want to start your rice first. The ingredients for the rice are celery, butter, orange juice, rice, an orange (for the peel), minced onion, salt and thyme.
In a saucepan, sauté the celery in the butter until tender.
Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
While the rice is cooking, you can make the chicken. You will need a pound of chicken breasts, butter, ginger, carrots, an onion, cornstarch, orange juice, orange marmalade, brown sugar, and lemon juice. The sauce this makes is so incredible!
In a large skillet, brown the chicken in butter. Season with salt, pepper, and ginger. Add the carrots and onions. Sauté for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and orange juice until smooth. Add the marmalade, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Whisk to combine. Add to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Serve the chicken alongside the rice. It is a bright, sunny, comforting meal with sweet citrus flavors. You will love it!
Recipe Source: Recipe adapted from a recipe from Taste of Home