Sautéed Chicken with Orange Ginger Sauce

Over Tomato Chive Rice

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 2 inch strips
3 T canola oil
3 T butter
Salt and pepper
6 ounces orange marmalade
½ C fresh squeezed orange juice
Zest from one large orange
2 T grated fresh ginger root
2 T brown sugar
½ t corn starch and 2 T chicken stock
2 -3 T fruity/mild white balsamic vinegar like peach or pineapple
1 T fresh julienned basil

Direction:

• Cut chicken into uniform strips about 1 to 2 inches wide. Bring to room temperature. Heat a large saucepan and add 2 T butter and the oil. Sauté chicken on all sides until browned, but not cooked all the way through. About 3-4 minutes per side. Do not keep turning and turning. Brown one side and then turn to the other to get the caramelization right, and preserve the juices. Salt and pepper the breasts while cooking. When almost done, remove and cover with foil to keep warm. (It is okay to let them sit. Makes them better!) If there is excessive grease remove all but about 2 T liquid. Add the other T of butter and heat pan. Deglaze (or pour in) with the orange juice and stir to loosen bits of meat. When bubbling, add the marmalade, ginger, orange zest, white balsamic and brown sugar. Add a little more salt and pepper. Let thicken and bubble for about 3-5 minutes. Put chicken back in pan. Add the basil and let bubble on low for about 3 – 4 minutes. Add a mixture of ½ t corn starch and 2 ounces stock to sauce to thicken. Serve over the chicken and rice.
• Tomato Chive Rice: Add halved cherry tomatoes and fresh chives to white rice then cook as usual cooking. Cooking liquid should be half water and half stock.