This easy orange chicken is perfect for one of those warmer, sunnier, and brighter days that we’re all looking forward to. It’s colorful, light and fresh- basically Summer on a plate.
The refreshing citrus-flavor of the orange compliments the sweetness of dates. The chicken marinade is sweet, spicy, and slightly hot. The fennel brings in a light, spring-like component to this colorful dish. What an extraordinary combination of flavors!
Pop this one dish of wonder into the oven and have a cocktail (or mocktail!) while your kitchen gets infused with a lovely citrus smell. To make it a little crispy, the chicken first gets seared in a grill pan before you toss it into the marinade and cook it in the oven. It will turn out juicy, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth good. I used chicken thighs, but you can use chicken breast, as well. I also tucked in some fingerling potatoes, to make it a satisfying main dish.
Enjoy this pretty tray bake on a beautiful, warm day – it’s like I’m sending you sunshine!
ORANGE CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS
Vegetables
- 12 baby potatoes halved
- 1 fennel halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 3 spring onions cut into fine strips
- 2 large oranges
- 40 g dates gutted and cut into fine strips
Marinade
- 2 red chilies seeds removed if necessary, and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp liquid honey
- 4 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar glaze
- 1.5 tsp salt
Chicken
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs or breasts
- 4 tbsp pistachios finely chopped and toasted, to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
Vegetables
- To filet the oranges, peel them with a knife by removing their peel and their thin, white skin. Carefully cut the filets out of the fruit covered in the white skin on the inside of the orange. Set all excess orange juice aside for the marinade. In a large bowl, mix the orange slices with all the vegetables and dates, and set aside.
Marinade
- In a shallow bowl, mix together all the ingredients of the marinade, including 4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice. Pour a third of the marinade into a gratin dish, set the rest aside for the marinade. Place the vegetable mixture on the marinade in the gratin dish.
Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 °Fahrenheit).
- Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. Sear the chicken for approx. 3 minutes on each side without moving it much, until golden brown. Remove the chicken, toss in the remaining marinade, and place on the gratin dish on top of the vegetables. Drizzle over this another third of the marinade and bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for approx. 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked thoroughly and the vegetables are tender.
- Pour over the remaining third of the marinade and sprinkle with toasted pistachio nuts.
