25/08/2024
Chinese Orange Chicken
Ingredients:
1/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
2/ 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
METHOD:
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 350 ̊F. 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.
LEFTOVERS! The orange chicken keeps well in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water over low heat. Freeze the orange chicken for up to 3 months, but be sure to thaw it before reheating so the chicken doesn’t clump together.
(Source: Nick Evans)
