An elegant orange sauce for chicken recipe. Pan-fried chicken breast in a velvety sauce made with fresh orange juice.
Make this beautiful orange sauce for chicken recipe for a quick, healthy, and delicious dinner!
I have a problem with this orange series: I've cooked 11 different recipes, sweet and savory, and I loved each one of them.
And that is a problem because I have a really hard time now choosing those recipes that I will share with you. There are only 4 posting days left this month, so I really have to decide what to post now and what to leave for some other future occasion.
Jump to recipe
Recipe ingredients
- Oranges: To make the orange sauce for chicken, you will need about 200 ml/ 6.7 fl. oz/ about ยพ cup freshly squeezed orange juice and some orange zest.
- Whenever I need the zest of oranges or lemons, I prefer to buy organic produce. However, either organic or not, make sure to properly wash and dry the citrus fruit before zesting it.
- Chicken stock: I usually use homemade chicken stock because I always have it in the fridge or freezer. However, you can use your favorite brand of chicken stock as well.
- Cognac: The cognac adds a special flavor to the chicken in orange sauce. However, if you don't have or do not like to add alcohol to food, you can leave it out.
- Butter: I used unsalted butter.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make orange sauce for chicken?
Start by making the orange sauce; it needs to cook a little bit longer than the chicken. But make sure that the chicken is cooked by the time the sauce is ready; you should serve the orange sauce for the chicken immediately.
- Zest one orange; you will need about 1 teaspoon of zest. Juice both oranges; you will need 200 ml/ about ยพ cup orange juice.
- Caramelize the icing sugar in a small saucepan.
- Add the orange juice and the chicken stock and stir to dissolve the sugar clumps.
- Add the orange zest, bring everything to a boil, and reduce the liquid to half. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, and 1 or 2 tablespoons cognac (to taste), and sieve the sauce through a fine mesh sieve.
- Pour the sauce back into the saucepan.
- Cut the cold butter into small cubes and give the cubes to the sauce, one after another, while stirring all the time.
How to pan-fry the chicken?
Chicken is my favorite kind of meat. I eat it often, and I have cooked it in a thousand different ways, but this way of cooking it kind of stands out.
It is very simple and fast; you just cannot go wrong when making it; besides the chicken breast, you will only need a few spices, and the result is fantastic: the juiciest, best chicken breasts I know.
And you can combine it with whatever else you like, different kinds of sauces, fingerling smashed potatoes or pan-fried sweet potatoes, rice or buttered noodles, any veggies you can think of, you can put it in a sandwich when cold or throw it on top of a salad, there are really no limits here.
- While the sauce is cooking, prepare the chicken breasts.
- If you have 2 large chicken breasts, slice them diagonally to obtain 2 thinner pieces.
- Place the chicken breasts between 2 layers of plastic foil and pound them using a meat pounder (I use the bottom of a small, heavy saucepan to pound the meat).
- Make sure that the chicken pieces are evenly thick all over.
- Sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper on both sides. You can choose other spices if you wish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron pan.
- Cook the chicken for 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Do not overcook!
- Place on a warm plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes or until the orange sauce for the chicken is ready.
Other uses for orange sauce
- I think the main reason to have chosen this particular chicken recipe is the fact that this sauce can be made and enjoyed not only with chicken but also with fish.
- This fresh orange sauce pairs just as well with fish (salmon or another sort) as it does with chicken breast.
- And although I haven't tried it, I am pretty sure you could also serve this sauce on duck breast or pork tenderloin.
More chicken breast dinners
Recipe
Orange Sauce for Chicken
Ingredients
Orange sauce:
- 2 large organic oranges you will need 1 teaspoon zest and 200 ml/ 6.7 fl. oz/ ยพ cup juice
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- ยพ cups chicken stock 180 ml
- 1-2 tablespoons cognac to taste (optional)
- 2 tablespoons cold butter 30 g/ 1 oz
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Pan-fried chicken:
- 2-4 chicken breasts depending on size (See note)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- some sweet paprika or other spices of choice
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Sauce: Start by making the sauce; it needs to cook a little longer than the chicken.
- Oranges: Zest one orange; you will need about 1 teaspoon zest. Juice both oranges; you will need 200 ml/ ยพ cup orange juice.2 large organic oranges
- Caramelize the icing sugar in a small saucepan. Add the orange juice and the chicken stock and stir to dissolve the sugar clumps.1 tablespoon icing sugar + ยพ cups chicken stock/ 180 ml
- Reduce: Add the orange zest, bring everything to a boil, and reduce this liquid to half. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Sieve: Add salt, pepper, and 1 or 2 tablespoons cognac to taste (optional) and sieve the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.fine sea salt and black pepper + 1-2 tablespoons cognac
- Add butter: Pour the sauce back into the saucepan. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add the cubes to the sauce, one after another, while stirring all the time. The sauce needs to be served immediately.2 tablespoons cold butter
- Chicken: While the sauce is cooking, prepare the chicken breasts. If you have 2 large chicken breasts, slice them diagonally to obtain 2 thinner pieces.2-4 chicken breasts
- Pound: Place the chicken breasts between 2 layers of plastic foil and pound them using a meat pounder. Make sure that the chicken pieces are evenly thick all over. Sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper on both sides. You can choose other spices if you wish.fine sea salt and black pepper + some sweet paprika
- Cook: Heat the olive oil in a large, cast iron pan. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Do not overcook!2 tablespoons olive oil
- Rest: Place on a warm plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sauce is ready.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
The orange glaze looks amazing and a wonderful way to add flavor to chicken. Such a nice pairing, Adina...and all done in 35 minutes is a plus!
Adina says
Thank you, Thao.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love that orange sauce! Had something similar before and I loved it. Gotta try your recipe next time. Thanks for sharing, Adina.
Adina says
Thank you, Angie, I hope you like it!
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Dear Adina, what a gorgeous dish!!! I love orange with chicken and the cognac was a surprise.
Adina says
The cognac adds a special note, but it can be left out when cooking for kids. Or replaced with Sambuca if you don't care about using alcohol, I found that very exciting as well.
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
This chicken looks super citrusy and delish, Adina. I bet it tasted divine.
Adina says
I loved the tangy taste and the smoothiness of the sauce.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
This chicken looks delicious, dear! Not sure what the other dish was, but i'm glad you chose this one! LOVE that the orange sauce is so versatile! Dinner Deliciousness right here! Cheers!
Adina says
The other dish was a whole chicken stuffed with oranges, I must post it sometime as well, it was yummy! ๐
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
So beautiful and so delectable looking! I always forget what a great combo chicken and fruit is - must try this one! Pinning!
Adina says
I love chicken with fruits as well. ๐
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
Beautiful and delicious, Adina! A dish that my family would enjoy a lot.
Adina says
Thank you, Denise.
Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says
Loving the citrus series! Orange and chicken is a favorite combination and this simple sauce looks simply divine! I'm like you - we eat chicken ALL the time and I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy it and make it different - this looks like the perfect answer! (We also eat lots of fish, so I'll have to try this sauce on some salmon soon, too!)
Adina says
I hope you try it, Kathryn, you can leave out the cognac for the kids.
Melanie @ Melanie Cooks says
I'm used to orange chicken version that they serve in Chinese restaurants (small pieces of chicken in orange sauce). Never seen orange chicken in a form of a whole chicken breast, but I'm sure it tastes delicious! Makes me hungry!
Adina says
Thanks, Melanie. I love the Chinese version as well, but never cooked it myself. I have to look for a recipe!
Jess @ Sweetest Menu says
This looks really tasty! I can just imagine how the zesty orange sauce would make the chicken so tender and juicy. Yum!
Adina says
Thank you, Jess. ๐