Orange-Garlic Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts with garlic and orange sauce
Diana Rattray
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 14 mins
Total: 24 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Garlic and orange juice help to flavor this simple, light chicken. You can use regular orange juice, but frozen orange juice concentrate will add more flavor and color to the sauce. Serve this easy skillet chicken dish with rice or potatoes and a side vegetable or salad—steamed broccoli or green beans are excellent choices or serve the chicken with a Caesar or a tossed green salad. 

Boneless chicken breasts cook very quickly, and because of their low-fat content, they become quite dry when overcooked. Depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts, the cooking time can vary greatly, so using an instant-read thermometer is the best way to be sure of doneness. According to foodsafety.gov, the chicken must be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165 F before serving.

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6 to 8 ounces each

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

  • 6 medium cloves garlic, crushed and minced

  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

  • 1/3 cup orange juice

  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar, optional

  • 1 dash hot sauce, such as Tabasco

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, or cilantro

Steps to Make It

  1. Slice a chicken breast in half horizontally to make 2 cutlets. Pound between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to thin evenly, about 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining 2 chicken breasts.

  2. Sprinkle the chicken breasts lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. 

  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the green onions and garlic; continue cooking, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes longer.

  5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, brown sugar (if using), and a dash of hot sauce. Pour over the chicken and garlic mixture.

  6. Cover the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. The temperature of the chicken should register at least 165 F on a food thermometer.

  7. Arrange the chicken on plates and top with some of the pan juices. Sprinkle with minced parsley or cilantro.

Tips

  • When a recipe calls for flattening a chicken breast half and the chicken breasts are large (in the 6- to 8-ounce size), consider first slicing them horizontally to form 2 cutlets. Flatten the thinner cutlets just enough to make them even in thickness. One full serving of chicken breast is about 3 1/2 to 4 ounces.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
222 Calories
6g Fat
3g Carbs
36g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 222
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 96mg 32%
Sodium 142mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 10mg 52%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 361mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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