Chinese Orange Chicken Recipe

This meal is packed with sweet citrus flavors, sesame seeds and scallions. It’s a breeze to make, and all you need is a large skillet. Be sure to add the orange zest in the sauce for the final touch. You can also use chicken wings for this recipe! Just deep fry them until they’re cooked through, before tossing them in the sauce. Pair this dish with white rice and big pinches of fresh scallion along sesame seeds.

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the orange sauce:

• Zest from 1 orange
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cup sugar

For the chicken:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large shallot, chopped

To garnish and serve:

• Sliced scallions, garnish
• Sesame seeds, garnish
• Cooked white rice, to serve

Directions:

1. Make the orange sauce: Whisk together sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Prep the chicken: Cut chicken into about 1-inch cubes. Whisk eggs with salt and black pepper in a bowl and add chicken. Stir together. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and cornstarch. Remove chicken from eggs with a slotted spoon or tongs, letting excess egg drain off, then transfer to cornstarch mixture and coat well.
3. Fry the chicken: Add oil to a large 10- to 12-inch skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can also test the temperature by sprinkling in some flour and it should fizzle immediately.
   Once oil is hot, fry the chicken in two batches. The oil might not completely cover the chicken—that’s okay. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 4 more minutes. Total cook time is about 6-8 minutes.
   Remove fried chicken cubes and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, so the chicken can drain. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
4. Simmer the chicken in the sauce: Once chicken is done, pour out hot oil and wipe pan clean. Add a fresh tablespoon of oil along with chopped garlic and shallot. Cook for a minute and then add the sauce. Simmer the sauce until it starts to thicken.
   Once the sauce is lightly bubbling, add fried chicken and toss together to coat. The sauce should continue to thicken and stick to the chicken. Let simmer for a minute or two more. Serve orange chicken over cooked white rice, garnished with sesame seeds and fresh scallions.

Source: Simply Recipes