Ditch the takeout menus and make your your orange chicken at home. This recipe is much better than takeout and sure to be a hit with your family. The key to this recipe is the fresh orange zest and the added scallions on top for a nice crunch. If you want the full takeout experience, you can also make my homemade pork egg roll recipe which is also my blog. They are easy to make and would be a great appetizer to the orange chicken. Here's how to make to my Better than Takeout Orange Chicken.
Serves 5
2 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cut into bite-size pieces
3 Eggs, whisked
1/3 cup Cornstarch
1/3 cup Flour
Peanut Oil
1 cup Orange Juice
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger or ginger powder
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
Orange Zest from 1 orange
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons of Water
Here's How to Make the Chicken:
1. Season the cubed chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
2. Place flour and cornstarch in a shallow dish or pie plate.
3. Whisk eggs in a separate shallow dish.
4. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and then flour mixture. *You may need to make another batch of flour/cornstarch mixture depending on the amount of chicken. Place on plate.
5. Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer or in a cast iron skillet to 350 degrees. If you are frying in a cast iron skillet, use a candy thermometer to make sure oil is at 350 degrees. You don't want to cook your chicken too fast so the oil should be at the right temp.
6. 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.
Here's How to Make the Orange Sauce:
1. In a medium pot, add orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes. Heat for 5-10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water to form a paste.(If you are doubling the sauce recipe, make sure you double the thickening recipe as well) 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.
3. Add the cooked chicken to another skillet and then add the orange sauce. Simmer the chicken in the sauce for about 5-7 mins. so the chicken can soak up a bit of the sauce before serving.
4. Serve with cooked rice and garnish with fresh scallions.
**** Video tutorial is on my YouTube page Spilling the Sweet Tea and my IG page @spilling_the_sweet_tea***
chopped green onions.