Orange Chicken and Stir-Fried Vegetables

  • 6 cups veggies cut into bite-sized pieces (celery, onions, peppers, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, etc...)

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided

  • salt & pepper, to taste

  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts (or tenderloins), cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 1/3 cup corn starch

Sauce ingredients:

  • 1 cup orange juice

  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 1 generous teaspoon ground ginger

  • pinch red pepper flakes

-Put the corn starch into a large (1 gallon size) zip-lock bag. Add the chicken chunks.

-Shake the bag to coat the chicken with the corn starch. Set aside.

-In a large frying pan, heat one tablespoon of the coconut oil over high heat.

-Add the veggies. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow the veggies to sit for one minute without stirring.

-After one minute has passed, go ahead and give them a good stir! Then...wait one more minute.

-Stir and toss the veggies with the teaspoon of sesame oil.

-Remove the veggies from the pan. Put them into an oven-proof serving plate and covered them with foil.

-Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

-Lower the heat of your pan to medium/high. Heat up the last tablespoon of coconut oil.

-When the oil is hot, place the chicken (in a single layer) into the pan.

-Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together.

-When the chicken starts to turn white around the edges, flip the pieces onto the other side, and cook (without

stirring) until it's cooked through, about 3 minutes.

-After the chicken is cooked, place it onto an oven proof dish. Place the chicken (uncovered, so that it will not get

soggy) and the veggies (which you've covered with foil) into your preheated 300-degree oven to keep warm while

you thicken your sauce.

-Return the pan to high heat. Pour in your sauce. Stir it constantly until it reduces and thickens, adding cornstarch

if necessary (1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water) to thicken it.

-When the sauce has thickened, return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat. Serve with the

veggies, along with rice, if desired.