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Easy Baked Orange Chicken Ready in 30 Minutes

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This easy baked orange chicken is a quick weeknight dinner made with simple pantry ingredients. The chicken is baked in a sticky, tangy-sweet orange marmalade glaze that caramelizes perfectly in the oven, delivering a crowd-pleasing flavor without the fuss of frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • ½ cup (160g) orange marmalade
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2–3 green onions, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine orange marmalade, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, cornstarch, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved.
  3. Place seasoned chicken thighs in a 9×13-inch baking dish in a single layer. Pour sauce evenly over chicken, turning each piece to coat.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack.
  5. Remove dish from oven, flip each piece of chicken with tongs, and spoon pan sauce over the tops.
  6. Return to oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and sauce is thick, sticky, and caramelized.
  7. Let chicken rest in the dish for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

Notes

Pat chicken dry to help sauce cling. Use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving to set the glaze. For extra sauce, make a batch and a half. If sauce gets too dark before chicken is done, tent with foil.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked orange chicken, easy orange chicken, weeknight dinner, chicken thighs, orange marmalade, 30-minute meal, gluten-free option

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