Best Braised Orange Chicken Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN AND RICE WITH ORANGE, SAFFRON, ALMOND, AND PISTACHIO SYRUP

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear; put to one side.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and throw in the onions. Cook over medium heat until they soften and turn golden. Season the chicken thighs and add them to the pan. Brown on all sides, then pour in 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel the zest from the orange with a potato peeler, then cut it into matchstick strips. Blanch in a small pan of boiling water for a couple of minutes, then drain.
• Dissolve the sugar in 1/2 cup (scant) water in a small, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, then bring to a boil and let bubble to reduce and thicken for 5 to 10 minutes until syrupy. Add the orange zest, slivered almonds, and pistachios and boil for 5 minutes, skimming off any froth. Strain the syrup and return to the pan; set aside the orange zest and nuts. Add the saffron and rose water to the syrup and boil again for 3 minutes, then add the cardamom seeds.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Strain the stock from the chicken thighs and add the syrup to it. Make this up to 3 cups with more water. Bring it to a boil in an ovenproof casserole and add the rice. Season and add two-thirds of the orange zest and nuts, keeping the rest to one side. Bring back to a boil, then cover and simmer until the rice is cooked. The liquid should have all been absorbed by now.
• Bury the chicken and onions in the rice and add the fava beans and peas, if you are including them. Put the lid on and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Serve straight from the pan or, if you prefer, in a large, warmed serving dish. Sprinkle the last third of the orange zest and nuts over the top before bringing it to the table.

BRAISED ORANGE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook chicken thighs in the hot oil until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken thighs and set aside.
• Cook and stir onion in the same skillet until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in tomatoes, orange juice, orange liqueur, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until thoroughly combined.
• Return chicken thighs to the skillet, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is tender and no longer pink inside, 25 to 30 minutes.

ORANGE BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH GREEN OLIVES

Steps:

• Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown chicken, transferring as browned to a plate.
• Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from pan. Reduce heat to moderate and in skillet cook garlic, stirring, until it begins to turn golden. Add onion and cook, stirring, until pale golden. Stir in cumin, citrus juices, and salt and pepper to taste and add chicken and olives. Simmer chicken, covered, 25 minutes, or until tender.

ORANGE BRAISED BOURBON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Melt butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat and brown on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
• Stir brown sugar, cornstarch and allspice into skillet; gradually stir in water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thick. Stir in orange juice, bourbon and raisins.
• Return chicken to skillet and top each breast with an orange slice. Cover skillet and simmer for about 35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. Serve chicken with sauce.

MOROCCAN BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ORANGE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Moroccan Chicken
• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Heat 6 3/4 quart Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge them in the flour, shaking off any excess.
• Add olive oli to the heated Dutch oven. Place half of the chicken pieces in the pot, skin side down. Salute on both sides until golden-brown. Remove and reserve, and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
• Pour off most of the fat from the Dutch oven. Over low heat, add the fennel, onion and bay leaf. Sweat until tender. Add chopped garlic and sweat 2-3 minutes.
• Add coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, tomato paste and 2 teaspoons salt. Add white wine and reduce by half.
• Add chicken stock, lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro leaves, honey and tomatoes. Place the chicken thighs into the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven.
• Cook 30 minutes, then return to the stovetop.
• Add the eggplant, zucchini, olives and chicken breasts. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and return to the oven. Cook 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with orange couscous
• Orange Couscous
• In a large saucepan, bring orange juice and salt to a boil. Stir in the couscous and cover.
• Turn off the heat. Let steam 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Stir in olive oil.

BRAISED ORANGE ROSEMARY CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Wash chicken and pat dry. Rub in the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375*.
• 2. Heat olive oil in pan. Add chicken, skin side down and do your first "flip over" when you see the skin becoming brown. Brown chicken in pan on both sides until crispy. Remove chicken from pan and place it in a baking pan.
• 3. Slice your oranges in half. Set aside.
• 4. Into hot pan, add the balsamic, and stir over low heat to deglaze pan, and release all of those little brown bits from pan. Pour this onto chicken.
• 5. Into baking dish add vegetable stock, juice of the oranges and the rosemary sprigs. Kind of stuff the rosemary springs in between the chicken thighs.
• 6. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Take pan out and cover with paper towel. Let chicken stand and rest for about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken out of drippings after 20 minutes. Either discard drippings, or use them to make a roux / gravy.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ORANGE AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until hot but not smoking, about 1 minute. Season chicken with salt. Swirl oil in skillet. Working in batches if needed, add chicken, skin side down, and brown on one side, about 5 minutes.
• Turn chicken, skin side up, and add scallions, olives, and orange zest and juice to skillet. Transfer to oven and cook until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

COCOA-ORANGE BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a rimmed plate.
• Add onion, garlic, cocoa, chili powder, sugar, cumin, and cinnamon to pan. Cook, stirring often, until onions are limp and spices are fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup broth to pan and stir to loosen and bits stuck to bottom. Simmer until onion is limp, about 5 minutes.
• Return chicken to pan. Using a zester or fine grater, grate enough peel (orange part only, no white) from one of the oranges to make 1 tsp zest. Juice the orange into a liquid measuring cup. Add zest and 1/2 cup juice to pan (save any remaining juice for another use). Cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is no longer pink in center, about 8 minutes (cut to test).
• Meanwhile, cut and discard peel and membrane from remaining orange. Thinly slice crosswise into rounds; set aside.
• When chicken is done, skim any fat from sauce and discard. Add wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with orange slices and sprigs of parsley.

ORANGE BRAISED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CAPERS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove from pan with some tongs and set aside.
• Reheat the oil in the pan, add the garlic and onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring, until just beginning to brown.
• Add the cumin, orange and lemon juices, orange zest and pepper, mix well then add the chicken, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Spoon the juices over the chicken then add the capers, re-cover and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately.

ORANGE AND GREEN-OLIVE BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a food storage bag. Add chicken thighs, seal bag; toss to coat chicken.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from bag, shaking off excess flour; place in skillet, skin side down. Cook chicken until golden brown, turning once, about 5 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, peel long strips of zest from the orange with vegetable peeler; set aside. When chicken has browned, place the garlic cloves around the chicken in the skillet. Reduce heat to medium; cook 1 minute. Add orange juice; heat to a boil. Cook 3 minutes. Add chicken stock; heat to a boil. Cook 3 minutes. Add bay leaves, olives, saffron and orange zest. Cover; place skillet in oven.
• Cook chicken until fork can be easily inserted, about 50 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet; place on serving platter. Return skillet to stove top. Heat liquid to a boil; boil 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves and garlic; spoon sauce over chicken, top with parsley.