Sticky chicken & blood orange stir fry

10-30 minutes 800 kcal or less bbc good food blood orange chicken chilli chillies chinese honey mains noodle noodles orange oranges pasta quick root ginger sesame oil soy sauce spinach sticky stir fry stir-fey

N/A

Source

Ingredients

2 handfuls of spinach leaves, roughly chopped (this may seem like a lot but it wilts down)

finely grated zest and juice of 1 blood orange

1 tbsp clear honey

1 tsp soy sauce

2.5cm/1in piece root ginger , peeled, then chopped to a pulp or grated

1 garlic clove , finely chopped or grated

portion of stir fry rice noodles (such as Sharwood's or Blue Dragon)

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips

sprinkling of crushed dried chilli flakes

Method

First things first, put the kettle on, tip the spinach into a colander and sit the colander in the sink. Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, honey, soy sauce, ginger and garlic – a micro whisk is perfect for this job.

Put the noodles in a deep bowl and pour boiling water from the kettle to just cover. Leave to soak for 4 minutes, then very carefully and slowly pour the noodles and water over the spinach in the colander and toss the noodles with the spinach so it wilts. Drizzle the sesame oil over and mix gently. Put to one side.

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok until it’s very hot, tip in the chicken strips and fry over a high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown all over. Pour the orange and honey mix over the chicken. At first it will bubble furiously but after a few moments it will calm down. Bubble and stir the sauce and chicken for 2 minutes until the sauce is thick and shiny and has glazed the chicken.

Tip the noodles, spinach and chilli flakes into the wok with the chicken. Gently toss everything together to warm through, then season with salt and pepper. Pile the noodles and chicken on a plate. A splash more soy sauce and a glass of chilled white wine are the only accompaniments this noodle supper needs.