Eating Right With Ray

Garlic is in the spotlight this week! I believe garlic is my love language. I am constantly adding double what a recipe calls for, or adding it if it was left out. One of my favorite snacks is even spicy pickled, although you should avoid eating it if you’re going to sitting close to someone! Garlic has been used for centuries as a medicinal root. Many cultures believed garlic to have healing properties that could ease many ailments ranging from skin conditions to lack of appetite. Garlic originates from Western China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The Sumerian’s are believed to have caused the expansion of garlic around 2600 BC, taking the root to Japan and then to Korea. Since then there are records of many different cultures incorporating garlic into their lifestyle’s. Today we know that garlic has multiple beneficial uses. Garlic has been proven to boost immunity, decrease inflammation, improves heart health, and can be antibacterial and antifungal. To sum everything up, garlic is a superfood and should be incorporated into everyone’s diet!

This delicious recipe reminds me of the orange chicken at Panda Express. The chicken is so crunchy, but also moist on the inside. The sauce is sweet because of the honey, but also tangy from the lemon. This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. I paired the chicken with bone broth rice and roasted broccolini.

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Ingredients

**PSA I don’t own measuring cups, and I am not about to be spending time measuring everything out, if you have questions leave a comment. I will try to estimate how much of everything but take it with a grain of salt**

Chicken

• Avocado oil
• Chicken (I usually use chicken tenders but this time I used thighs and they were great)— use however much you need for your family, I used three chicken thighs
• Arrowroot starch
• 1-2 eggs
• Salt/Pepper/Onion Powder/ Garlic powder

Sauce

• Minced garlic (I used 5 cloves)
• A Lemon
• Ginger
• Broth
• Honey
• Coco aminos
• Rice Wine Vingegar
• Arrowroot starch slurry*
• Red Pepper Flakes

*To make an arrowroot starch slurry mix a tablespoon of arrowroot starch and a tablespoon of water. Make this mixture in a separate container and mix before adding it to the sauce. This will make your sauce thicker*

Instructions

Prep work

1. Do your prep work for the sauce so that you don’t have to rush with it later on. I minced 5 garlic cloves, minced about 1.5 Tbs of ginger, and zested half a lemon. Set this aside and now you can begin cooking

2. Now you want to trim the chicken you will be using. If you decide to use tenders, ensure you take out the tendon. Cut your chicken into bite size pieces. Once all your chicken is cut up season your chicken with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

3. Now you will beat your eggs in a bowl and in a separate bowl you will add about a half cup of arrowroot starch (if you run out while coating your chicken just add more).

4. Next you will coat your chicken in the beaten egg and then the arrowroot starch, see picture for example. Do this with all your chicken, and then we will move onto cooking!

Cooking the Chicken

1. Lightly coat the bottom of your pan in avocado oil. The amount will be different based on the size of pan you’re using. I would say about 4 table spoons. You don’t need much, you don’t want your chicken submerged. Just enough so that there is a thin layer on the bottom.
2. Put your breaded chicken in the pan once the oil is heated to about medium high heat. Leave for about 3 minutes and then flip. See picture for what your chicken should look like.

3. Remove the chicken when it’s starting to form a crust. Let the chicken drain on a paper towel or baking rack.

4. Wipe out leftover oil out of pan. There shouldn’t be very much, I use paper towels and tongs for this step. Again, lightly line the pan with clean oil. A second fry is needed to get ultra crispy chicken.

5. With new oil in the pan, increase the heat slightly. Now add the chicken, flipping occasionally until the chicken is golden brown.

6. Once all your chicken is nice and crispy, remove from heat and allow to drain on paper towel or baking rack.

Lemon Garlic Sauce

** I made this recipe for two people using three chicken thighs. With that being said my sauce “measurements” are based off of that. If you are making more servings consider doubling sauce ingredients**

1. With your pan wiped clean, add a teaspoon of avocado oil back into the pan. Add in your garlic, ginger, and half your lemon zest. Cook down for 30 seconds until fragrant.

2. Next you’re going to want to add 1/2 cup of chicken or bone broth, 3-4 Tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of coco aminos, juice from half a large lemon, and a splash of rice wine vinegar. Bring this to a simmer.

3. Once at a simmer add the arrowroot slurry and 1/2 a tablespoon of red pepper flakes.

4. Constantly stir until your sauce thickens.

5. Taste your sauce! Again I don’t have measuring cups. I highly encourage you to taste your sauce and decide for yourself if you want to make changes. If you want your sauce to be sweeter, add more honey. If you want more of a bite add more lemon juice. If you like a kick, consider adding more red pepper flakes. If you find that your sauce is too thick mix in additional chicken broth.

6. Now you will want to add in your crispy chicken and toss them in your sauce

7. Finally plate your delicious meal! Garnish with the rest of your lemon zest, but of course that is optional. I made a side of rice cooked in bone broth and oven roasted broccolini.

RECIPE CARD

Sources

Petrovska, B. B., & Cekovska, S. (2010, January). Extracts from the history and medical properties of garlic. Pharmacognosy reviews. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3249897/

Cleveland Clinic. (2025, January 8). 6 garlic benefits to boost your health. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-surprising-ways-garlic-boosts-your-health