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Homemade Orange Chicken

Source of Recipe

From "Fried Chicken" by Jessica Lang


Recipe Introduction

"Chinese-style orange chicken is a regular on take-out menus and in grocery store freezer cases, but this bright and fresh homemade recipe is a much improved version of the premade classic. On top of that, it's pretty enough to serve for company and simple enough for weeknights."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
â—¦ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
â—¦ 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces

Orange Sauce:
â—¦ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦ 2 tablespoons light sesame oil
â—¦ 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
â—¦ 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
â—¦ 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
â—¦ ¼ cup honey
â—¦ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
â—¦ Vegetable oil, for frying
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups cornstarch
â—¦ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
â—¦ â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ Steamed rice, for serving
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
â—¦ 2 green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced, for garnish
â—¦ 1 red chile pepper, thinly sliced, for garnish


Recipe

To make the marinade, combine the orange juice and soy sauce in a large zip-top bag. Add the chicken pieces, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 1 ½ to 3 hours.

To make the orange sauce, in a heavy stainless-steel skillet, heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for about 45 seconds, or until fragrant and lightly browned. Add the vinegar and soy sauce to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, honey, and the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour the orange juice mixture into the skillet, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

In a deep fryer or large, deep stockpot, heat 3 inches of vegetable oil over high heat to 375° F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In a bowl, whisk together the 1 ¼ cups of cornstarch, flour, salt, ginger, and cayenne pepper.

Remove the chicken from the zip-top bag and drain in a colander. Working with a few pieces at a time, dredge in the cornstarch mixture. Fry the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain pieces on the wire rack.

Warm the orange sauce over low heat. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the fried chicken pieces and the warmed orange sauce. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, green onions, and chile pepper slices.

Serves 4