Orange Chicken

I wrote this years ago, but we had this for dinner tonight and I thought I'd share:

Everyone knows about the take-out version of orange chicken...yummy orange scented fried sticky gooieness of chicken...but EVER so bad for you.

This is my version...and ever so good for you!

Around 4:30 this afternoon, my friend called.

"What ya doin?" 

"I am staring at a package of frozen chicken waiting for it to talk to me."

"What?"

"I am totally uninspired tonight, and I want the chicken to tell me what it wants to be."

We both laughed at my ridiculous attempt at humor. The attempt being funnier than the humor. Oh well. 

We hung up a few minutes later. I decided to go with a quick and easy family favorite. You can tell by the use of paper plates that it has been a long day. I needed something yummy, quick, and healthy.

Marinate boneless skinless chicken breasts in the following:

1 cup orange juice

1 tsp ground red pepper

1/4 cup soy sauce (if gluten free, get the "gluten free soy sauce")

1/4 cup canola oil

1 T ground ginger

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

I like to cut my chicken into strips. It spreads the flavor out more, and cooks quicker. 

Since the chicken was frozen, I did a two for one deal. By placing the marinade in a bag with the chicken, and the submerging the chicken in cool water, it defrosted and marinated at the same time. Cool trick ;) 

Broil on low for about 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken and the power of your oven (mine is wimpy). 

Serve over rice. I love Jasmine rice. Please, don't ever tell me if you eat that nasty plain long grain enriched stuff. It has no flavor.

PS I have to give credit to my mom for this one. It is a take off of her old standby. She is the one who taught me the quick marinade and broil trick for a fast meal.

Update (2-22-10): My Super Friend Sherie called with a suggestion. I LOVE that. When I make this, I don't always have fresh oranges around....so I didn't even think of her idea. I am so glad I have smart friends! She used her microplane to zest some fresh oranges. She put the zest, along with juice and soy sauce into the microwave, heated it up, and served it as a sauce to go over the chicken and soak up into the rice with all its yumminess. Smart girl!!

Update 3-19-14....I'm making this for dinner. I made a dipping sauce out of 1 part soy sauce, 2 parts orange juice, about a tsp each garlic and onion powder, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper.

-Kendra