Toss the takeout menus in favor of a 20-minute recipe for Quick Orange Chicken and Broccoli. This recipe stars tender pieces of chicken thighs coated in a zesty orange sauce and paired with crisp, fresh broccoli, creating a perfect balance of sweet and savory in every bite.
I love the salty, crunchy allure of perfectly fried pork 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 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!
- Drunken Noodles with Chicken
- Quick Chicken Chow Mein
- Easy General Tso’s Chicken
- 30-Minute Mongolian Beef
- Easy Pork Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- Zest and juice the oranges. To a medium bowl, add 2 teaspoons orange zest and ½ 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.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
This was really good – finally a recipe that posts accurate prep time – thank you Kelly!!!!
So glad you enjoyed it!