Chinese Orange Chicken
User Reviews
5
Chinese Orange Chicken
Description
The chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces, dipped in a mixture of cornstarch, flour, and salt after being coated in whisked egg, then deep-fried in neutral oil at 350°F until crisp and golden brown. Meanwhile, the orange sauce is simmered using fresh orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes. A cornstarch slurry is added to thicken the sauce, finished with fresh orange zest for brightness.
Once fried, the chicken pieces are coated in the orange sauce, giving them a shiny, slightly sticky glaze that combines sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors with a crisp exterior. Garnished with green onions and additional orange zest, this dish pairs well as a main course served with rice or steamed vegetables.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 4 chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces, boneless skinless
- 3 egg whisked
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup flour
- salt
- neutral cooking oil for frying, generic cooking oil
Orange Chicken Sauce:
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar or White Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce use tamari for a gluten-free dish
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- orange zest from 1 orange
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Garnish:
- green onions
- orange zest
Instructions
To make orange sauce:
- In a medium pot, add orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes. Heat for 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water to form a paste. Add to orange sauce and whisk together. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and add orange zest.
To make chicken:
- Place flour and cornstarch in a shallow dish or pie plate. Add a generous pinch of salt. Stir.
- Whisk eggs in shallow dish.
- Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and then flour mixture. Place on plate.
- Heat 2 -3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Using a thermometer, watch for it to reach 350 degrees.
- Working in batches, cook several chicken pieces at a time. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, turning often until golden brown. Place chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat.
- Toss chicken with orange sauce. You may reserve some of the sauce to place on rice. Serve it with a sprinkling of green onion and orange zest, if so desired.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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