If there’s one dish my family requests on repeat—well, other than Dad’s tacos—it’s Asian chicken. They love anything baked and coated in a salty, spicy, sweet Asian-style sauce. I actually made this chicken with my little sister, Asher, in my mind. She’s been traveling a lot, so I haven’t seen her much. With all my upcoming travel, I wanted to make a few dinners that I could quickly freeze for my family to enjoy while I was away. When Asher asks for any kind of chicken and rice dinner with an Asian or Thai-style sauce, I usually choose orange sesame sauce and serve it with broccoli. Now that it’s fall and pomegranates are in season, I wanted to switch up the sauce and create something delicious with pomegranate juice. Plus, Asher loves pomegranates—they are our favorite! I find they’re often overlooked in cooking, so I’m excited to share this recipe with you all! This sauce is the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and salty flavors. I absolutely love it! Instead of the usual broccoli, I used Brussels sprouts. They pair so well with this chicken! I even got Asher to enjoy them!
Here are the details
Ingredients
chicken garlic powder orange zest flour salted butter or olive oil Brussels sprouts pomegranate juice tamari/soy sauce sweet Thai chili sauce apple cider vinegar peanut butter garlic ginger chili flakes
Step 1: start the chicken I use cubed raw chicken—breasts or thighs, or a mix of the two. I toss the cubed chicken with garlic powder, fresh orange zest, and black pepper. Then, I add flour and toss again. The flour allows the chicken to get crispy in the oven. It’s only a small amount, so it creates just a very light coating. As a result, it’s not a fully breaded chicken but breaded just enough so the sauce can stick nicely to the chicken. Bake the chicken with a side of Brussels sprouts. It takes maybe 20 minutes to cook.
Step 2: the ginger pomegranate sauce Start with garlic powder and then lots of fresh orange zest and pomegranate juice. If you don’t use pomegranate juice often, I highly recommend you give it a try. I use it in many of my fall and holiday cocktails, as well as in sauces like today’s ginger pom sauce and even as a sticky sauce for short ribs. It’s certainly so versatile! Mix the pomegranate juice with tamari (or soy sauce), apple cider vinegar, and sweet Thai chili sauce. Then, peanut butter, fresh ginger, garlic, and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. The sweet Thai chili sauce adds just the right amount of sweetness and spice to the chicken. It works perfectly, and I love the small amount of flavor it adds to the sauce. Lastly, mix in a small amount of cornstarch or flour, then simmer the sauce on the stove to help it thicken.
Step 3: toss the chicken and the sauce Pour the sauce over the baked crispy chicken and cook it in the sauce. The coating soaks up all the sauce, making it delish.
Step 4: add rice and enjoy I always serve the chicken, sauce, and Brussels sprouts over steamed rice (I make mine with bone broth for extra protein). Then, if you’d like, toss in some pomegranate arils. I always do this when pomegranates are in season! Oh, and, of course, toasted sesame seeds! It’s cozy but very fresh, and most importantly, it’s so darn yummy!! We just love the spicy, sweet, and tangy chicken. Looking for more easy fall dinners? These are certainly a few great ones to try:
Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Tortilla Soup. 30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen Better For You Chicken and Spinach Ramen Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup Easy Spicy Baked Potato Soup Healthier Italian Wedding Soup with Lemon and Garlic Lemony Garlic Chicken and Orzo Soup Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon Spicy Short Rib Peanut Ramen Lastly, if you make this Sheet Pan Ginger Chicken and Brussels Sprouts, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
