recipes: Asian Orange Glazed Chicken Drumsticks and Baked Brown Rice and Peas

This is one of our absolute favorite meals.  The chicken falls apart off the bone, it's so tender...  The glaze is thick and perfectly sweet-sour-salty-orangey.  Oh, the glaze!  I just want to drizzle it over EVERYTHING.  The chicken pairs wonderfully with plain steamed rice, but I love it with the baked rice and peas.  We normally have it with broccoli, but Uz showed up at home a little earlier than I anticipated, so we went without this time.

Asian Orange Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Adapted from Skinnytaste.com
Serves: 4
Stats: ~190 cals for each drumstick

8 medium chicken drumsticks, skin removed OR 4-6 larger drumsticks, skin removed (total weight ~2 lbs)
olive oil spray or 1 tsp olive oil
1 cup water
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
4 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ginger, grated
zest of one orange (I actually peel it with a vegetable peeler, to get big slices.  You can save some to garnish the dish with at the end, if you want to be fancy.)
Optional garnish:
2 tbsp chives or scallions, chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds

In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 5-6 minutes with a little spray oil.

Add water, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, orange peel, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil.  

Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20-25 minutes.

Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, anywhere from 10-20 minutes, until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don't want it to burn when it start becoming thick).  

Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with chives and sesame seeds and serve.

Baked Rice and Peas

Adapted from Skinnytaste.com
Serves: 5 (about 3/4 c.)
Stats: 188 cals per serving

1 cup uncooked long grain rice
14.5 oz can fat free chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
5 oz (1/2 package) frozen peas

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine all ingredients in a oven-safe baking dish with a lid. Place a piece of tin foil between the lid and the dish to ensure no steam escapes.  

For white rice:
Bake 45 minutes (do not open, do not peek, do not stir rice).

For brown rice:
Bake 70-75 minutes (do not open, do not peek, do not stir rice).

When time is up, remove from oven and let it sit for 10 more minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice, (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice).

After 10 minutes, remove lid and fluff with a fork.