Easy Orange Butter Sauce Chicken

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Orange Butter Sauce Chicken is an easy weeknight dinner that tastes amazing with a silky, slightly sweet flavorful sauce!

Orange Butter Sauce Chicken is one of the most unique and delicious dinners ever, but sooo SIMPLE to make!  The butter is cooked down to this beautiful golden brown color and the flavor and aroma turns into this nutty deliciousness. For this recipe, I promise you that I cut back on the amount of butter too, so it is not as scary as the title might sound! The fresh orange flavor is subtle and only slightly sweet, not overly orang-y.  Overall, you get a silky, slightly sweet flavorful sauce that is unlike any other!

Everyone Loves this Chicken Recipe!

This Orange Butter Sauce recipe is riff on a very traditional Beurre blanc, which is butter sauce made with vinegar and/or white wine and shallots. I was looking for something new and different and that didn’t use wine.

It was a favorite dinner dish from my catering days.  I loved serving this at reception events as a chicken option because it was a change from the typical Chicken Piccata.  And guests always loved it asking me what was in it.  But the ingredients are so SIMPLE it’s almost embarrassing. 

Simple Ingredients and Substitutes

• Chicken Breasts boneless, skinless – I always have raw chicken breasts in the freezer as they can last up to 12 months if in an airtight container or packaging. Check out all of my tips on Prepping and Storing Chicken for Easier Dinners. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
• All purpose white flour – this is for coating the chicken before searing, which helps to thicken the sauce. You can also use cornstarch.
• Salted Butter – I really like using salted butter and then adding more salt if needed. However, you can also use unsalted butter. You can substitute with Ghee (clarified butter).
• Orange, navel – The orange is such a wonderful flavor. If you don’t have fresh orange, you can use a tablespoon of Orange Juice, but a warning that most juices are full of sugar, so go light and taste before adding more. You can substitute with Lemon as well to make this a lemon butter sauce.
• Chicken Broth or stock – You can also use, vegetable broth or stock or Beef broth or stock. You can also use water mixed with a beef or chicken bouillon cube or beef base or chicken base.
• Scallions (green onions) – The scallions provide a subtle onion flavor. You can substitute with chives, but I would not use diced onions as they will overpower the dish. If you don’t have scallions or chives, you can add ¼ teaspoon onion powder or onion flakes along with some chopped fresh parsley for color.
• Salt and Pepper – Just enough to season to your taste. I use coarse salt and pepper, but any will work.
• Extra virgin olive oil – This is to sear the chicken in the pan, so you can substitute with any vegetable oil will work here.

Ppre Steps for Orange Butter Sauce Chicken

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are the steps you prepare in the day(s) in advance and store in the fridge as your meal Kit… (See the recipe below for more details)

Despite the flavors tasting so incredible, the steps to make this dish are very simple.  There really isn’t that much that needs to be prepped ahead.  You can thinly slice the 2 scallions. Cut the orange in half and cut 2 thin slices from half and then quarter those slices. Zest the other half of the orange, then juice both halves of the orange and set the juice, the zest, and slices aside.  Store in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

You can also mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a storage container that big enough to dredge the chicken when you’re ready to cook.

Cooking the Orange Butter Sauce Chicken

First, Add the 4 tablespoons of butter to a small sauce pot and simmer until it turns brown and starts to release a wonderful nutty aroma.  Turn the heat off and let sit.

Next, dredge each chicken breast in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.  Then place in a preheated pan coated with olive oil and sear on both sides.

Add the chicken broth to the pan and scrape up all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the scallions, the orange zest, the juice from the orange, and the brown butter.  Turn the chicken over so that the flour on the outside thickens the sauce to perfection.

Add the quartered orange slices for added flavor and garnish.  I like to serve this Orange Brown Butter Chicken with Rice so I can soak up all that delicious sauce and not miss a bit!

Enjoy!

Orange Butter Sauce Chicken Recipe FAQs

Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead Of Breasts?

Yes, you can use chicken thighs, but I recommend sticking with skinless boneless chicken thighs for easy prep and cooking. Consider the amount of thighs that you will need as well. Generally, I estimate 16 ounces or 1 pound of chicken for 4 servings. That will likely mean 5-6 boneless skinless thighs, depending on their size. The recipe instructions will be the same for thighs as the breasts.

Can I freeze this Chicken in Orange Sauce?

Yes, this Orange Butter Sauce Chicken will freeze very nicely. You can store it in the freezer for up to 4 months in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw it in the refrigerator the day before. Then warm it in the oven at 375 F degrees for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.