Sugar Free Orange Chicken

Sugar Free Orange Chicken

Cooking sherry is the secret ingredient that gives this recipe an authentic Chinese restaurant flavor. However, if you prefer not to use it, you can leave it out. The recipe will still be delicious without it. You can substitute apple juice, orange juice, or chicken broth instead.

If you prefer your meals on the mild side, use ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. But don’t omit them! It won’t make this dish spicy; it adds just a touch of heat, which helps replace the flavor of fat.

You can make this dish quicker and easier to prepare by using bottled minced garlic, which is usually stocked in the produce section of most grocery stores. If you can find it, bottled minced ginger can be used instead of fresh ginger.

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
¼ - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
2 tablespoons cooking sherry
2 tablespoons Splenda
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup sugar-free orange marmalade

Directions:

Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Combine garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and chicken in skillet over medium-high heat until chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine sherry, Splenda, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Add sherry mixture to skillet and cook until sauce begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Add marmalade, and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Nutrition Facts:

Makes 4 (1-cup) servings. Per serving, 148 calories, 14 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams sugars, 0 grams fiber, 21 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 2 grams monounsaturated fat, 220 milligrams cholesterol, and 722 milligrams sodium.