Ingredient Meat & Poultry Chicken Chicken Thighs Orange Chicken & Broccoli Skillet 4.4 (11) 8 Reviews This protein-packed orange chicken and broccoli skillet casserole is a vibrant dish that combines the sweet and zesty flavor of oranges with the savory richness of chicken thighs. Baked together with fresh, crisp broccoli and hearty brown rice, it’s a complete meal that’s both nutritious and easy to clean up. By Liv Dansky Liv Dansky Liv Dansky has worked for EatingWell since 2019 as a recipe tester and developer and, more recently, as a writer. Her work can be found across brands like Food & Wine, EatingWell, Southern Living, Real Simple, and Serious Eats. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 30, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Servings: 6 Nutrition Profile: Mediterranean Diet Nut-Free Dairy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Jump to recipe This Orange Chicken & Broccoli Skillet will be your go-to homemade version of a takeout classic. Featuring crispy chicken in a delightfully sweet orange sauce with crisp-tender broccoli, it’s a flavor-packed meal that also packs a punch of fiber from broccoli and brown rice. Using bone-in thighs ensures the chicken flavor is bold and that the chicken, thanks to the extra fat from the thighs, will be moist and tender after baking. Read on for our expert tips, including how to get a thick and luscious sauce. Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! The cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce. As the chicken continues to bake and the skin crisps, the cornstarch dries out and helps keep the orange sauce on the chicken.Once you add the chicken to the skillet, avoid turning it. Let the chicken cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the skin easily releases from the pan.You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of bone-in thighs, and you can add chili crisp on top for heat.If you don’t have a large enough skillet, cook the chicken in batches and then bake the mixture in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Nutrition Notes Chicken thighs are an excellent choice for this recipe because they tend to stay juicy, even with high-heat cooking. Chicken thighs also have more iron than chicken breasts, which could be great for your energy levels. Orange zest and juice are the stars of the sauce in this recipe. Using both the zest and juice is a great way to use the entire orange, intensifying the dish’s flavor. The zest also contributes small amounts of vitamins C and A, which boost your immune system. Brown rice is an excellent grain choice if you’re looking to bump up your fiber intake. Adding more fiber to your diet can help keep your digestive system regular. Broccoli does some heavy lifting as the main veggie in this recipe. Broccoli not only contributes more fiber to the dish, it also adds phosphorus and calcium for a bone-health benefit. Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or avocado 6 (6-ounce) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry 1 teaspoon salt, divided 1 tablespoon grated orange zest ¾ cup orange juice 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger 1½ teaspoons cornstarch, divided ¼ teaspoon ground pepper 2 (8.8-ounce) packages precooked microwaveable brown rice 6 cups fresh broccoli florets ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with ¼ teaspoon salt. Arrange the chicken in the skillet skin-side down; cook, undisturbed, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken, skin-side up, to a large plate. Remove the skillet from the heat; reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the skillet (discard remaining drippings). Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood Meanwhile, whisk 1 tablespoon orange zest, ¾ cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Pour ½ cup of the mixture into a small saucepan. Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood Add the remaining ½ teaspoon cornstarch and ¼ teaspoon salt to the orange juice mixture in the bowl. To the reserved drippings in the skillet, add 2 packages rice, 6 cups broccoli and the orange juice mixture from the bowl; stir until well combined. Nestle the chicken, skin-side up, into the broccoli mixture. Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood Bake until the broccoli is tender, the sauce has thickened slightly, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of chicken registers at least 165°F, 40 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the reserved orange juice mixture in the saucepan to a lively simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with ¼ cup scallions and 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Nutrition Information Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh & 1 cup rice mixtureCalories 545, Fat 32g, Saturated Fat 8g, Cholesterol 157mg, Carbohydrates 34g, Total Sugars 5g, Added Sugars 1g, Protein 33g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 737mg, Potassium 749mg Recipe Updates Based on earlier review and comments of this recipe, we’ve retested and made the following adjustments (and updated the nutritional analysis accordingly):Decreased salt in sauce (to improve the balance of flavors)Added salt to chicken and orange juice mixture (to improve the flavor)Moved the addition of cornstarch (to make it easier to incorporate into the dish)Increased cook time on chicken (to ensure it’s cooked through properly)Updated April 2025 Frequently Asked Questions Would the orange sauce be good on other foods? Absolutely. The orange sauce would bring a delicious citrusy flavor to chicken, fish, rice and noodles. It would also be great as a dipping sauce for our Air-Fryer Egg Rolls. Can I make Orange Chicken & Broccoli Skillet ahead of time? The only thing we’d make ahead is the orange sauce. You can make it a day before and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook with it. How should I store and reheat leftovers? If you have leftovers, let everything cool before storing them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for another 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals until heated. EatingWell.com, October 2024 Save Rate Print Additional reporting by Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS Sarah Pflugradt is a registered dietitian who holds a Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Her extensive background in dietetics has made her a sought-after expert in family and youth sports nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines and Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines