Mama's Asian Chicken and Rice

I have made this recipe twice and it is delicious. If you are looking for a sweet and sour type recipe this is NOT it but the sauce is spicy and with a side of asparagus makes for a great dinner. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1/3 c. warm water 2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 c. packed brown sugar 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts cubed
2 Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce 2 cups water
2 Tbsp. ketchup 1 c. uncooked white rice
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
4 cloves garlic minced 2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 2 Tbsp. cold water
1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder chopped green onions for garnish
1 tsp grated orange peel

Directions:
1. In a bowl, stir together warm water, brown sugar, orange juice, soy sauce, ketchup, white vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, five-spice powder, and orange peel until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat, and cook and stir the chicken until the outside is golden brown and the inside is no longer pink, 10 to 12 minutes. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover the skillet. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. White the chicken and sauce are simmering, bring the rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the rice aside and keep warm.

4. Whisk the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl until smooth, and stir into the chicken and sauce, a few teaspoons at a time Let the chicken and sauce cook for about 2 minutes to thicken, then serve over hot cooked rice, sprinkled with green onion.

My own modifications included using jasmine rice instead of regular rice and I also sprinkled sesame seeds over the top as garnish with the green onion. This is pretty spicy so if you don't like as much spice use less of the red pepper flakes. I also doubled the recipe as the leftovers are great for lunches.