Quick-Fix Orange Ginger Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our Thanksgiving dinner was a success and there weren't many were leftovers to deal with. The cider-brined pork was devoured and, despite having made two of them, I never got to sample the maple mousse cake I was so proud of. The Silver Fox, who lived through the testing of all the recipes, as well as the dinner itself, was thrilled there were no leavings. I must admit I was a bit relieved myself. That meant we could start a regimen of lighter meals a bit earlier than usual. It, for years, has been our habit to eat smaller meals in the period that stretches from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Several weeks of low-fat and low-calorie meals make Christmas excesses possible and spare us from living on the treadmill. We have been known to overdo it during the holidays, so during the interim period I actively seek out recipes for easy and healthy meals. I have to thank the Taste of Home magazine for the recipe I'm featuring today. We love Asian food, and, while this recipe is not authentically Asian, it's close enough to make a satisfying meal on a busy day. I basically followed the recipe as it was written, but did make a few changes for our meal. I used the zest and juice of one orange in my version of the recipe. I also used a good, slightly bitter, English marmalade that I've cooked with before. While I don't want to belabor the point, I know from cooking competitions how important the condiments we use in cooking can be. Brand "A" and brand "B" don't always produce the same results, so, once you find one that works for you, be consistent and unrelenting in its use. I also added a clove of garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes and used the full compliment of ginger the recipe called for. You'll want to have a 1/4 cup of water or stock at the ready to dilute the sauce in case it becomes too thick. It will become too thick. This dish comes together quickly and it can be table ready in about 30 minutes. That is a boon for busy cooks during the holiday season. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. It makes a lovely quick meal. Here's the recipe as it was published.

Orange Ginger Chicken ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1-1/2 pounds), cubed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup orange marmalade

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Optional garnishes: thinly sliced green onion and sesame seeds

Directions:

1) Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to bag, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil in batches over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

2) In same skillet, combine orange juice, marmalade, soy sauce, honey, and ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan; cook and stir until thickened. Return chicken to the pan; heat through. Sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds if desired. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.