Better Than The Buffet Orange Chicken with Broccoli
Better Than The Buffet Orange Chicken With Broccoli is a restaurant quality dinner that you can make right at home. The fried chicken paired with the broccoli, garlic, ginger and Orange Sauce make this an easy meal that you will want to add to your dinner rotation.
I love orange chicken. When a delicious orange chicken with broccoli makes an appearance on a lunchtime menu, that is my meal of choice. The bright and vibrant flavors of the orange really make this dish sing. The lightness of the orange offsets the heaviness of fried chicken. The strong orange taste is what makes this sticky and sweet orange chicken with broccoli unforgettable.
I love Chinese food buffets because there are so many phenomenal food options to choose from. Being able to try a little bit of everything from my favorite Better Than The Buffet Pepper Chicken to Cashew Chicken makes my afternoon. If I’m in a sit down and order situation, Orange Chicken is always top of the list.
The over-the-top orange flavor in this recipe is a result of not only using the juice from two large oranges. But also zesting the orange rind to get that extra special amazing taste.
This is one of my older son Aidan’s favorite dinner requests. That works out well for me because this is actually a fairly quick dinner to throw together. The frying aspect of the chicken is the only thing that is a bit time consuming. For this recipe, the chicken will be fried in two separate batches. And each batch will fry for about 15 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.
Chicken and broccoli are one of those magical and timeless flavor combinations. It’s a combo that finds its way into all different types of food dishes from all different types of cultures. Perhaps one of the most popular is Chicken Broccoli Alfredo. Chicken and broccoli are also amazing together in my husband’s favorite Thai Peanut Chicken with Broccoli.
Substitutions
I write my recipes here on the blog to not only share the food that I make and love. But I also want my recipes to serve as a guide for you to make the recipe uniquely your own and inspire you to create. Below are some substitutions or add-ins that you may want to incorporate.
Chicken: You may want to swap out the chicken for beef, pork or an impossible plant-based meat. Be sure to adjust your cooking times accordingly for the best result.
Broccoli: Perhaps it’s dinnertime and you are finding yourself without broccoli. Or you don’t like broccoli. Or you have yourself an Aidan who uses all of your broccoli and doesn’t tell you. Any of the below options would be an excellent substitute.
-Asparagus
-Kale
-Bok choy
-Bell peppers
-Green beans
-Edamame
-Pea pods
-Mushrooms
Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, add cornstarch, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine fully. Thinly slice the boneless skinless chicken into strips. Add the sliced chicken to the cornstarch mixture. Stir until all of the chicken is coated completely.
Add ⅓ cup vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add half of the cornstarch coated chicken. The chicken will fry in two batches. Allow each batch to cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Once each batch is cooked, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. You may add a little bit of salt to taste.
While the chicken is frying, prepare the Orange Sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, zest and juice 2 large oranges and combine the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine fully. Also in the meantime, chop the garlic, Thai chilis and broccoli. Cut the broccoli crowns as well as the stems.
In the same cast iron skillet on medium heat, add the remaining ¼ cup of vegetable oil, garlic, ginger and Thai chilis and broccoli. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring frequently.
Add the cooked chicken and the Orange Sauce to the skillet. Let simmer for 12-15 minutes until thickened. Stir occasionally. NOTE: Be patient. It may seem like a lot of Orange Sauce, but the cornstarch on the chicken will thicken the sauce. Serve with jasmine rice and garnish with some green onion.
Hungry for more Better Than The Buffet recipes?
- Better Than The Buffet Beef and Broccoli is the perfect combination of flavors. The rich flavor in the beef and sauce is complimented perfectly with the bright freshness of the broccoli. This is a recipe with such complex taste that you will not believe it comes together in under 30 minutes!
- Better Than The Buffet Chicken Lo Mein delivers all of the classic flavors of your favorite Chinese noodle dish. Soy sauce, boneless skinless chicken thighs, mixed veggies, ginger and garlic make this a dish that’s big on flavor but comes together in just 30 minutes time. This is a perfect recipe for a side dish or a quick weeknight meal.
- Better Than The Buffet Battered Chinese Fried Shrimp is a New England Chinese restaurant favorite. The simple and flavorful batter uses only 6-ingredients and will give you the perfect crunchy yet fluffy bite. The flavorful breading compliments the succulent sweetness of the jumbo shrimp.
- Better Than The Buffet Crab Rangoons are easy to make and packed full of flavor. They are the perfect finger food to make for any party appetizer. One of my favorite traditions that we started in my house is to cook our own Chinese food every New Year’s Eve. This a great starter recipe and the perfect way to ring in the New Year.
- Better Than The Buffet Chinese Pepper Chicken is a buffet staple. So simple yet so complex, this is an easy recipe that has so much depth of flavor. The pepper sauce is so rich and tasty that you won’t believe it comes together with only five ingredients.
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite buffet food is. How did your Better Than The Buffet Orange Chicken With Broccoli turn out? As always, thank you so very much for supporting Spice and Sugar Mama!
Better Than The Buffet Orange Chicken With Broccoli
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds boneless skinless chicken
- ½ Cup cornstarch
- 2 Teaspoons salt
- ¾ Teaspoons black pepper
- ⅓ + ¼ Cup vegetable oil
- 5 Cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons grated ginger
- 2 Thai chilis
- 2 Heads broccoli
Orange Sauce
- 2 Oranges, juiced and zested
- ¼ Cup fish sauce
- ½ Cup soy sauce
- ½ Cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, add cornstarch, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine fully. Thinly slice the boneless skinless chicken into strips. Add the sliced chicken to the cornstarch mixture. Stir until all of the chicken is coated completely.
- Add ⅓ cup vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add half of the cornstarch coated chicken. The chicken will fry in two batches. Allow each batch to cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Once each batch is cooked, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. You may add a little bit of salt to taste.
- While the chicken is frying, prepare the Orange Sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, zest and juice 2 large oranges and combine the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine fully. Also in the meantime, chop the garlic, Thai chilis and broccoli. Cut the broccoli crowns as well as the stems.
- In the same cast iron skillet on medium heat, add the remaining ¼ cup of vegetable oil, garlic, ginger and Thai chilis and broccoli. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring frequently.
- Add the cooked chicken and the Orange Sauce to the skillet. Let simmer for 12-15 minutes until thickened. Stir occasionally. NOTE: Be patient. It may seem like a lot of Orange Sauce, but the cornstarch on the chicken will thicken the sauce. Serve with jasmine rice and garnish with some green onion. Enjoy!
