Orange chicken recipe

One of my resolutions for 2019 was to be better at meal planning and grocery shopping with mealtimes in mind.

I love cooking, baking and being in the kitchen, but I’m not always the best at planning ahead.

Now that I’m home with two little ones, I try to have staples in the fridge and pantry that can work easily into a multitude of lunch or dinner options.

Our two year old is a pretty decent eater. We do modify a good portion of our meals so he will eat. This should read, dice meal and sandwich between carbohydrates!

We’re always trying to incorporate new flavors and textures into his diet. For dinner yesterday, I came across a great recipe for orange chicken and it just sounded good!

We don’t eat a lot of meat based meals and they’re definitely not my son’s preference, but we do try and mix it up and expose him to lots of different foods.

This recipe was quick! 25 minutes to prep and cook and I had most of the items on hand.

Here’s what you’ll need:

3-4 organic chicken thighs

1 medium carrot, chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup diced onion

2 tablespoons avocado oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

1/4 cup salted cashews, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

I found this recipe here

Directions:

1. Stir fry onions, celery, carrots, and chicken for 8-10 mins on medium heat.
2. Mix cornstarch, fresh ginger, tamari soy sauce, maple syrup and orange juice.
3. Pour over stir fry and bring to a low boil. Don’t leave on heat for too long. 1-2 minutes at most.
4. Check chicken temperature with a meat thermometer. Should be at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Plate and serve. Top with cashews and sesame seeds.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, I did make a some modifications:

Chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts

Maple syrup instead of honey

Avocado oil instead of canola oil

Added diced onion

Added sesame seeds as garnish

The recipe includes rice which I didn’t make. You could also mix it up and try cauliflower rice as something different!

Everyone liked this meal and my son ate it all! If you try it, let us know what you think!

Nicole and Carly