Orange chicken was invented in 1987 by a Panda Express chef who accidentally doubled the orange zest in sweet and sour.
Orange Chicken Rice Bowls
Savor the vibrant flavors of our protein-packed Orange Chicken Rice Bowls, an ideal choice for your meal prep needs! Featuring tender pieces of zesty orange-glazed chicken and fluffy rice, this dish is not only satisfying but also easy to whip up. Get ready to enjoy a delightful fusion of sweet and savory in every bite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 5🥬Fresh Produce(11)
- 200g Carrots, grated (7.06 oz)
- 400g Cucumber, thinly sliced (14.1 oz)
- 30g Minced Garlic (1.06 oz)
- 20g Minced Garlic (0.71 oz)
- 30g Ginger Paste (1.06 oz)
- 300g Green Cabbage, thinly sliced (10.6 oz)
- 50g Green Onion (green part) (1.76 oz)
- 150g Green Onion, finely chopped (5.29 oz)
- 100g Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice (3.53 oz)
- 1.5 Tbsp Orange Zest (22.5 ml)
- 200g Red Onion, thinly sliced (7.06 oz)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1000g Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cubed (2.2 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 15g Reduced Fat Butter (1.05 tbsp)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 30g Honey (1.06 oz)
- 20g Honey (0.71 oz)
- 25g Rice Vinegar (0.88 oz)
- 250g Uncooked White Rice/690g Cooked (leftover or day old cooked is best) (8.82 oz)leftover or day old cooked is best
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 2 Tsp Black Pepper (10 ml)
- 2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes (10 ml)
- 1 or 2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 30g Dark Soy Sauce (1.06 oz)
- 30g Sriracha (1.06 oz)
📦Other(1)
- 25g Sesame Seeds (0.88 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cube boneless chicken thighs and marinate with black pepper, garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, honey, sriracha, fresh orange juice, orange zest, and dark soy sauce. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes for maximum flavour.
- 2
Bake or air fry the chicken at 200C / 400F for 19-22 minutes until golden and slightly charred, then let it rest in all those juices.
- 3
While it cooks, toast sesame seeds in a pan with a little butter until golden. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, then stir in cooked rice. Mix until fluffy.
- 4
Make the crunchy vinegar based slaw for balance and texture.
- 5
Once chicken is cooked, serve and ENJOY!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken thighs for exactly 30 minutes to 2 hours - longer breaks down proteins too much due to citric acid in orange juice, making meat mushy.timing30 minutes to 2 hours
- ✓Use thighs at 165°F internal temp but let oven reach 425°F instead of 400°F to achieve proper Maillard browning in the 19-22 minute window.technique425°F oven, 165°F internal
- ✓Toast sesame seeds until they release oils and turn golden (2-3 minutes) before adding garlic to prevent garlic from burning while seeds cook.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Use day-old refrigerated rice for toasting because it has 20-30% less moisture, preventing mushiness and allowing proper grain separation.ingredient20-30% less moisture
- ✓Zest orange before juicing and add zest to marinade last - citrus oils are volatile and dissipate 50% of flavor compounds within 15 minutes when exposed to acid.technique50% flavor loss in 15 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Orange chicken was invented in 1987 by a Panda Express chef who accidentally doubled the orange zest in sweet and sour.
Orange Chicken Rice Bowls
Savor the vibrant flavors of our protein-packed Orange Chicken Rice Bowls, an ideal choice for your meal prep needs! Featuring tender pieces of zesty orange-glazed chicken and fluffy rice, this dish is not only satisfying but also easy to whip up. Get ready to enjoy a delightful fusion of sweet and savory in every bite!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 5🥬Fresh Produce(11)
- 200g Carrots, grated (7.06 oz)
- 400g Cucumber, thinly sliced (14.1 oz)
- 30g Minced Garlic (1.06 oz)
- 20g Minced Garlic (0.71 oz)
- 30g Ginger Paste (1.06 oz)
- 300g Green Cabbage, thinly sliced (10.6 oz)
- 50g Green Onion (green part) (1.76 oz)
- 150g Green Onion, finely chopped (5.29 oz)
- 100g Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice (3.53 oz)
- 1.5 Tbsp Orange Zest (22.5 ml)
- 200g Red Onion, thinly sliced (7.06 oz)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1000g Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cubed (2.2 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 15g Reduced Fat Butter (1.05 tbsp)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 30g Honey (1.06 oz)
- 20g Honey (0.71 oz)
- 25g Rice Vinegar (0.88 oz)
- 250g Uncooked White Rice/690g Cooked (leftover or day old cooked is best) (8.82 oz)leftover or day old cooked is best
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 2 Tsp Black Pepper (10 ml)
- 2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes (10 ml)
- 1 or 2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 30g Dark Soy Sauce (1.06 oz)
- 30g Sriracha (1.06 oz)
📦Other(1)
- 25g Sesame Seeds (0.88 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cube boneless chicken thighs and marinate with black pepper, garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, honey, sriracha, fresh orange juice, orange zest, and dark soy sauce. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes for maximum flavour.
- 2
Bake or air fry the chicken at 200C / 400F for 19-22 minutes until golden and slightly charred, then let it rest in all those juices.
- 3
While it cooks, toast sesame seeds in a pan with a little butter until golden. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, then stir in cooked rice. Mix until fluffy.
- 4
Make the crunchy vinegar based slaw for balance and texture.
- 5
Once chicken is cooked, serve and ENJOY!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken thighs for exactly 30 minutes to 2 hours - longer breaks down proteins too much due to citric acid in orange juice, making meat mushy.timing30 minutes to 2 hours
- ✓Use thighs at 165°F internal temp but let oven reach 425°F instead of 400°F to achieve proper Maillard browning in the 19-22 minute window.technique425°F oven, 165°F internal
- ✓Toast sesame seeds until they release oils and turn golden (2-3 minutes) before adding garlic to prevent garlic from burning while seeds cook.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Use day-old refrigerated rice for toasting because it has 20-30% less moisture, preventing mushiness and allowing proper grain separation.ingredient20-30% less moisture
- ✓Zest orange before juicing and add zest to marinade last - citrus oils are volatile and dissipate 50% of flavor compounds within 15 minutes when exposed to acid.technique50% flavor loss in 15 minutes