Orange chicken casserole with fragrant rice and colorful vegetables

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 1 cup rice
• 250 g chicken, vegan substitute also possible
• 2 onions
• n. B. Vegetables of your choice, e.g. pak choi, eggplant, peppers
• ½ jar dried tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 piece(s) ginger
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tsp sambal oelek
• ½ orange(s), the juice
• 1 orange slice(s), optional
• 6 tbsp agave syrup or honey
• some vegetable broth
• some turmeric powder

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

First, cook the rice in boiling water according to the package instructions until about 70% cooked. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (top/bottom heat). Cut the chicken or a vegan alternative into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Squeeze the orange juice and add it to the chicken. Then add the sambal oelek, finely chopped ginger and garlic, soy sauce, and agave syrup. Season to taste and set aside. Then, slice the onions about 1 cm thick. When the rice is ready, strain and place it in a baking dish. Place the sliced ​​onions on top, placing a piece of sun-dried tomato on each slice. Arrange the desired vegetables (e.g., bok choy, eggplant, bell pepper) on top. Spread the marinated chicken and sauce evenly over the rice. Finally, add an orange slice for a nice finishing touch. Cover the casserole dish with a lid or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes, until everything is tender. Check the liquid level and the vegetables’ tenderness after about 15 minutes. If the dish seems too dry or the vegetables are still too firm, combine a mixture of vegetable broth, a little soy sauce, and turmeric (for color) in a cup and pour it into the casserole dish. Add chicken substitute and agave syrup to make this dish vegan!