Orange Chicken

I think everyone will agree with me when I say easy and quick weeknight meals are the absolute best. So when I find one that also tastes really good, I hold onto it for dear life and make it until we're all sick of it. And that's what I plan to do with this (sorry honey).

This dish comes together really easily, and it's one of those recipes that you have to do very little prep-work for. Just toss the cubed chicken in a flour mixture, then transfer to the pan to brown them up a tad. Next you combine the sauce ingredients and pour them into the pan. Then walk away for 25 minutes and get something else done. I love that because, trust me, there's always a LOT to be done in my house.

One note on the optional mandarin oranges. I used them to give it an extra pretty touch. But I think going forward I'll leave them out. It gave an overpowering orange flavor to the dish. Once I picked them out, it was perfect. Though if you're an orange lover, leave them in! They make the dish very sophisticated looking.


Orange Chicken
(adapted from This Week For Dinner)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. butter

For Sauce:
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 Tbsp. vinegar
2 cup orange juice
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. dried basil
1 small can mandarin oranges (optional)

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a plastic baggie. Shake chicken pieces well to coat. Lightly brown on both sides in butter in skillet over medium heat.

2. Combine sauce ingredients and add to skillet. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until tender. Remove cover and allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.

3. Stir in mandarin oranges, if using. Serve with rice.