Orange chicken might not be the most authentic Chinese dish, but wow, if it’s not one of the most popular. Rather than hoofing it to a restaurant to satisfy your next craving, why not make it at home? If you can fry chicken, you can make this dish. All you need is this recipe from Oh, Sweet Basil The list of ingredients here is intimidating, but trust us— it’s worth it.
You’ll Need:
– 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
– 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 egg, beaten
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 1/4 teaspoon pepper
– Oil, for frying
Orange Sauce
– 1 1/2 cups orange juice
– Zest from one orange
– 1/3 cup rice vinegar
– 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
– 1 cup packed brown sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon ginger root, minced
– 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
– 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
– 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
– 3 tablespoons cornstarch
– 2 tablespoons water
How To:
- Combine the flour, salt, and pepper.
- Dip the chicken in the beaten egg and then coat in the flour mixture.
- Deep-fry the chicken in batches in a deep fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, until completely cooked. You can also use a wok for this step.
- As the chicken cooks, star the orange sauce by combining the orange juice, rice vinegar and soy sauce in a large saucepan. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes.
- Stir in the brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil.
- Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly.
- Slowly stir the cornstarch mixture into the sauce until it thickens.
- Pour the sauce over the breaded chicken. If you want an extra kick, add red pepper flakes.
Pretty easy, right? Have you ever tried making this dish before? What are some of your other favorite Chinese dishes?