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Star anise chicken in a skillet.

Chicken with Star Anise Orange Sauce

Chicken with star anise and oranges is a seriously flavorful dish that you can totally whip up on weeknights, but it's also fancy enough to wow at special occasions. From the amazing star anise to the tangy kick of fresh oranges, this recipe proves that a few simple ingredients can create a dish that's not just tasty, but also incredibly satisfying.
4.91 from 11 votes
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 205kcal
Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

  • 2 Naval oranges
  • 8 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons avocado or peanut oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon peeled grated fresh ginger
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
  • 3-4 star anise pods
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
  • Fresh thyme sprigs
  • Orange quarters for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F
  • Finely grate the zest from one of the oranges and reserve. Squeeze the juice from the oranges, you should have 1 cup of juice, you may need to juice another half orange. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
  • In a Dutch oven, braiser or large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the oil and when it is hot add half of the chicken pieces and sear it to a rich brown, then flip it and brown the other side.
    Transfer the chicken to a plate and proceed with the second batch and when it has browned transfer to the plate.
  • Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in the pan and return the pan to medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and orange zest.
    Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the orange juice, broth, wine, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce and the star anise pods. Bring the mixture to a boil, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1-2 minutes to thicken it slightly. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the browned chicken, turning them to coat with the sauce. Place the lid on the pot and transfer to the middle rack of the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue to bake for an additional 10-12 minutes to brown the chicken.
  • Remove the pot from the oven, discard the anise pods and remaining thyme sprig stems. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter.  Pour the sauce into a dish or small pitcher and serve with the chicken.
  • Serve the chicken on a mound of steamed rice with the sauce poured over the chicken, garnished with thyme sprigs and orange wedges
  • Optional: For a smooth, elegant sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer set over a dish.

Notes

  • The chili garlic sauce is quite spicy, adjust according to your taste.
  • Another serving idea is to transfer the chicken to a platter and pour the sauce over all the chicken, garnish and serve
  • For a thicker sauce, additional cornstarch slurry can be cooked into the sauce in step #5 after the chicken is transferred to a platter.
  • If you need to be strictly gluten-free, make sure to choose a gluten-free soy sauce.
  • Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 905mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g