Orange Chicken

asI found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  It was so delicious.  I didn't bread my chicken.  I was looking for something quick, so I just used my pre-cooked chicken and tossed that in the sauce after I made it and simmered it while the rice cooked.  That made for a quick, easy meal which is what I wanted tonight.  If you want to see the breaded version, check out the link to her site.  This was probably the closest we've ever made to Panda Express orange chicken (the less spicy version.)  It was delicious.  I actually loved that it wasn't breaded and fried.  At least that made it a little less unhealthy.  This is how I made it.

Update 8/13/11 - made this again last night but the kids had eaten all of the oranges I had bought so I just used orange juice (from concentrate even) I used 1 cup orange juice and 1 cup water.  Still super tasty, and even easier to make.

Ingredients

• precooked chicken, defrosted (I used only about a pound, but could have used more.)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup orange juice 
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely minced ginger (I actually used a jarred ginger/garlic and used 1 teaspoon of it then 1/2 teaspoon garlic.)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons green onion
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups rice

Directions

In a medium saucepan combine water, fresh orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest and whisk over medium heat for a few minutes. Then stir in brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and green onion and let it come to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and let it dissolve and add it to the sauce until thickened.  Remove about 1/2 of the sauce to a bowl (I used my gravy boat.)  Add the chicken to the remaining sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer while preparing rice.  (I just made min in a rice cooker.  3 cups lets me fill it up to line 4.)  Serve the chicken mix over rice with extra sauce for the rice.