Paleo Orange Sesame Chicken

I know I’ll probably sound like a broken record, but what can I say? My love for Asian food is real, people. It’s real, it’s intense, it’s profound, and it feels like it will never go away. I was honestly hoping that I would eventually snap out of it, but it appears as though my affection for the delectable fare just keeps intensifying as time goes by. I guess I’ll have to learn to live with this “addiction” of mine and accept the fact that I have a thing, a real serious thing, for my darling Asian food.

As such, there is but one thing left for me to do: keep finding ways to recreate some of my favorite Asian dishes at home, so I don’t end up paying a visit to my favorite Asian restaurant more often than my body can afford.

If you’re on that same boat with me, then you will absolutely, positively fall in love with this latest creation of mine: Paleo Orange Sesame Chicken.

Not only does it taste absolutely fantastic, but it’s also made with nothing but real, wholesome ingredients that will do your body good. And hey, it’s fairly easy to make, too!

Asian food that tastes just like the real thing and that I can eat completely guilt free? I’m all for that. And once you’ve had a taste of it, I think you will be too!

Start by making the sauce: place all the ingredients in a high-Speed Blender and process until smooth, about one minute.

As you can see, there’s no need to prep your ingredients all that much, the blender will take care of reducing them to a puree for you. However, if you didn’t have a blender or if you didn’t feel like taking it out, you could still make the sauce by hand. You’d simply have to mince the ginger and ginger and crush the chili peppers before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. Then you’d have to mix the whole thing vigorously with a whisk. The sauce wouldn’t be as smooth, but it would still taste as delicious!

When the sauce is ready, set it aside while we get the chicken going.

Grab a fairly big mixing bowl and put some tapioca starch, salt and pepper in it. Mix with a whisk until all the ingredients are very well combined.

Cut the boneless chicken thighs into 2 or 3 pieces and add those pieces right to the bowl.

Toss delicately with the tip of your fingers until all the pieces of chicken are evenly coated.

Place a large skillet over high heat, add some heat stable healthy cooking fat to it and wait until the pan becomes really hot.

Add the pieces of chicken, leaving ample room between them so that air gets to circulate freely around them and they get a chance to fry and become beautifully golden and crispy. If you overcrowd the pan, your chicken may very well start boiling instead. You’re probably gonna have to work in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of your pan and pieces of chicken.

Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until it gets a beautiful golden crust and then remove to a plate while you cook the remaining pieces.

Once all the pieces of chicken have been cooked, return them to the pan, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking the meat for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.

Now add your sauce and mix until the chicken is well coated; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and takes a beautiful, rich dark red color.

This delicious Orange Sesame Chicken dish is best served fresh and piping hot, so I strongly suggest you go to town without delay.

Garnish with a handful of sliced green onions, some grated orange zest and a few orange slices, if desired, then serve to your hungry guests or family members.

Look at how beautiful! Tender morsels of moist and juicy meat in a deliciously sweet, tangy and spicy sauce.

I’m telling you, it just doesn’t get any better than this!

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Paleo Orange Sesame Chicken

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 900 grams 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 3/4 tsp Himalayan salt
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, for frying

For the Sauce

• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, the juice of 2 large juicy oranges
• 1/2 cup date paste
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
• 2-4 birds eye chili peppers
• 1 garlic clove
• Grated zest of 2 oranges

Optional Garnish

• 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
• Orange slices
• Grated orange zest

Instructions

• To make the sauce, place all the ingredients in a high-Speed Blender and process until smooth, about one minute. Set aside.
• Put the tapioca starch, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Cut each boneless chicken thigh in 2 or 3 pieces and add that meat to the bowl with the tapioca starch. Toss delicately with your fingers until all the pieces of chicken are evenly coated.
• Melt the coconut oil in a large skillet set over high heat until it gets really hot. Add the pieces of chicken, leaving at least one or two inches between them so that air gets to circulate freely around them and they don’t start boiling as opposed to browning; work in batches if you have to.
• Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until it gets brown and crispy, and remove to a plate while you cook the remaining pieces.
• Once all the pieces of chicken have been cooked, return them to the pan, lower the heat to medium and cook uncovered for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices that come out are no longer pink.
• Add the sauce and mix until well coated; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and darker in color.
• Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and orange zest and slices, if desired.
  

Author: Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

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