How to Turn Your Leftover Orange Chicken Into a Healthy Meal

Spoon UIUC teamed up with Food & Wine magazine to increase awareness about the problem of food waste on our campus. With a microgrant of just under $100, we created 10 original recipes to show you how you can transform leftover late-night eats into something equally amazing the next day.

Orange chicken is a staple of takeout Asian food. But the citrus dish is also thick and heavy with a sauce that could stand in for glue if you leave it too long in its container.

That’s why we opted for this recipe that transforms sticky orange chicken into a refreshingly lighter lettuce wrap finished with toasted cashews and ginger.

Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Citrus Ginger Sauce

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 10 minutesServings:4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 head of lettuce
• 1 carton of leftover orange chicken
• 1 bottle Asian ginger dipping sauce
• 1 package broccoli slaw mix
• 1 cup cashews

Instructions

1. 
   

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cashews on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toast for about 5 minutes. Crush with the bottom of a cup or back of a spoon when finished.

2. 
   

   Coat a sauté pan with Asian ginger dipping sauce and add in broccoli slaw. Let cook until vegetables are slightly soft.

3. 
   

   Chop orange chicken leftovers into pieces and add to slaw.

   #SpoonTip: Microwave orange chicken for a minute first, if leftovers are sticking to their container.

4. 
   

   Fill lettuce cups and garnish with crushed, toasted cashews.

• Broke
• Dinner
• Meat Lover