Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

Orange Chicken Stir Fry
Brian Macdonald/DigitalVision/Getty Images
Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 chicken breasts

This easy five-ingredient recipe for orange chicken stir-fry is packed full of flavor and color. And because you use frozen peas and cashews, there's no chopping. Dinner will be on the table in 20 minutes.

You can prep the ingredients for this wonderful recipe ahead of time. In the morning before you go to work or the night before, cut the chicken into thin strips. Measure out the cashews and put the baby peas in the fridge so they can thaw. Then when you get home, measure the sauce ingredients, put the sauce together, heat the wok, and make the recipe. Easy!

When you stir-fry, it's important that every ingredient is ready and waiting to go into the skillet or wok. You can't stop in the middle of stir-frying to measure something or prep an ingredient. Once all of the ingredients are prepped, this cooking style is very quick. 

You can certainly add more ingredients to this recipe. Think about adding some sliced bell peppers (prep them the night before too), some sliced zucchini or yellow summer squash, or some green beans or asparagus. Something green would be a nice contrast to the orange sauce and pale chicken. 

Because the chicken is cut into thin strips, it should cook through to a safe temperature during the cooking process. If you're unsure, use a food thermometer to check the chicken. It should be at least 160 F. 

Serve this dish over hot cooked rice or noodles or over a rice pilaf. It's also great served over mashed plain or sweet potatoes for a change of pace. Add some nice white wine, a green salad tossed with grape tomatoes and sliced mushrooms, and dinner is ready.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons peanut or safflower oil

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 6 thighs, cut into thin strips

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3/4 cup orange juice

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed

  • 1/2 cup cashew pieces

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on all sides.

  2. Add the chicken to the wok.

  3. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes.

  4. Combine the orange juice, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the chicken in the skillet or wok along with the thawed peas.

  5. Stir-fry for 2 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens. Then stir in the cashew pieces and serve immediately over hot cooked rice or noodles.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
456 Calories
19g Fat
25g Carbs
45g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 456
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 25%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 102mg 34%
Sodium 772mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 45g
Vitamin C 35mg 173%
Calcium 55mg 4%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 749mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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