I think we can all agree that orange chicken is a thing, so why not orange turkey?! Think about it, it’s kind of festive and a great alternative to making a giant turkey. They always sell turkey breast at our local grocery store and using turkey instead of chicken gives this dish just enough of a twist will still tasting essentially the same. It’s crispy oven baked turkey nuggets tossed in a tangy bright sweet sauce that just begs to be eaten with rice. And it’s only 6 ingredients. Weeknight orange turkey here we come!
Cooking Notes
Since we’re using turkey breast, you’re not going to get the same kind of golden oven effect as say, when you’re baking chicken thighs. Don’t worry, even though it’s not golden, it still has a very slightly crispy texture on the outside. The firmness of turkey breast pairs well with the glossy sauce making this a hearty tasting dish, maybe even more so that the more tender feel you get when you make orange chicken with thighs. Make sure you don’t forget to oil the rack that you bake the turkey on – it’ll help everything release cleanly.
Ingredient Notes
I went the super simple route here and used store bought orange juice – you know, the orange juice that has only oranges and no added sugar. You can also just juice an orange yourself, but the name of the game is ease, so do whatever works. Make sure you taste the sauce too – oranges and orange juices differ in their sweetness levels, so you’ll want to adjust the sugar content based on that. I love a sweeter sauce so I go with 1/4 cup of sugar, but you can go as low as 1 – 2 tablespoons. Also, if you don’t have rice vinegar, white vinegar will work just as well.
What do you need?
A baking sheet with a wire rack and a non-stick pan.
What to serve it with?
Serve it up with some fluffy white rice.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless turkey breast cut into 1” cubes
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2-4 tbsp sugar or to taste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 450°F and season the turkey with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the turkey to a ziplock bag with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Shake well to coat and place on an oiled rack on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly golden, flipping halfway. For the last 5 minutes, turn the heat up to broil to make the turkey just a bit crispy.
- When the turkey is almost done baking, make the sauce by whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with the orange juice. Whisk in the sugar, soy, and rice vinegar.
- Add the sauce to a nonstick pan and bring to a boil. Once bubbling and glossy, turn the heat to low.
- Add the crispy turkey to the sauce and toss until well coated. Top with toasted sesame seeds and green onions, if desired. Enjoy with fluffy white rice!
