Sep 2, 2021

Orange Chicken & Rice

Delectable one-pot orange chicken and rice recipe for faster clean-up and happy tummies.

An entire meal in one pot, this orange chicken and rice is delicious and filling with a quicker clean-up. Cooking everything together results in tender, fluffy rice and incredibly juicy chicken.

I generally cook this meal entirely on the stovetop, especially in the summer; however, the second stage of cooking can be done in the oven. Once the chicken is reintroduced into the pan, cover and place in an oven preheated to 350F / C for 30 minutes. Then uncover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

At 400 calories, this makes the perfect complete dinner, especially with the baby spinach and radicchio snuck in for some vegetables. If calories are not a worry, add a side salad, or additional side dish.

Ingredients

(Makes 6 servings)

6 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
low-calorie olive oil cooking spay
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 cup baby spinach, chopped
1 cup radicchio, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried celery leaf (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups low-fat chicken stock

marinade:

zest and juice of 1 large orange
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon honey (or bee free Honee)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, add the ingredients listed under marinade. Wisk until the ingredients are well combined.

In a large bowl, place the chicken thighs. Add the marinade and ensure the chicken is well coated. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow the chicken to absorb the flavours.

While the chicken marinades, prepare the vegetables and set aside.

In a deep sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat, lightly spray the pan with cooking spray. Once the pan is heated, remove the chicken thighs from the marinade (reserve the leftover marinade), placing them skin-side down on the hot pan. Fry the chicken until the skin turns a dark golden brown (approx. 5 minutes). Flip the chicken over and fry for an additional 5 minutes before removing the chicken from the pan and setting aside on a plate.

If there is an excessive amount of oil on the pan, carefully sop some up with a paper towel and discard. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. As the onion cooks it will help lift the fond from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute before adding the baby spinach, radicchio, remaining marinade, and spices. Combine well and mix regularly until the baby spinach and radicchio have softened and reduced.

Mix in the basmati rice ensuring all the grains are coated in the onion and spice mixture. Add the chicken stock and stir. Bring the pan up to a simmer then nestle the chicken thighs back in skin-side up. Add in any chicken juices that accumulated while standing and wait for the pan to again come to a simmer.

Cover and reduce the heat to medium / medium-low (adjust temperature based on how your stove cooks). Cook for 35 minutes undisturbed. Remove lid and cook an additional 15 minutes to allow the last of the excess liquid to evaporate. Test the rice for tenderness and ensure the chicken has reached a minimum internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C.

Fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately with an orange slice as garnish (optional). You can also squeeze the juice from 1/2 an orange over the pan for added orange kick (optional).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: