Take Out Orange Chicken - IN
inpatskitchen
Photo by Nicole Franzen
- Serves
- 4 to 6
Two of my favorite Chinese- American dishes for carry out (take out) are Almond Boneless Chicken and Orange Chicken. A few years ago I started making both at home when the carry out versions were becoming too bready and too soggy. The sauce for this Orange Chicken can be made early in the day and the chicken can be battered and fried closer to serving time with minimal prep when you're ready to eat.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- Finely grated zest of one large orange
- Juice of 2 large oranges
- 2 cup water
- 2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red papper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 3 tablespoon corn starch mixed with 4 to 5 tablespoons water to make a slurry
For the chicken and putting it all together
- 3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 cup white rice flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 8 to 10 ounce club soda
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (fine grind)
- 1 small can sliced water chestnuts
- 4 cup lightly steamed broccoli ( or in a pinch use thawed frozen)
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Vegetable or peanut oil for pan frying
- Hot cooked white rice
- Sliced green onion for garnish (optional)
- Shredded iceberg lettuce (optional)
Featured Video
Directions
For the sauce
- Step 1
Combine all ingredients except the slurry in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the slurry and continue to boil until the mixture thickens a bit. Set aside.
For the chicken and putting it all together
- Step 1
In a medium bowl, whisk the rice flour, AP flour salt and pepper together.
- Step 2
In a small bowl beat the egg with about four ounces of the club soda and then whisk that into the flour mixture adding more club soda as you need to make a batter slightly thicker than thin.
- Step 3
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, dip the chicken pieces into the batter, shaking off any excess and then fry them on both sides until lightly browned.
- Step 4
Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 425F oven for about ten minutes.
- Step 5
Pour the reserved sauce into a wok or large frying pan, bring up to the boil and then gently stir in the sesame oil, broccoli, water chestnuts and browned chicken pieces.
- Step 6
Serve the chicken mixture over the rice and lettuce and garnish with the green onion.