Easy & Zesty Homemade Orange Chicken
If you love Chinese food, chances are you love orange chicken and can't get enough of it. After all, what's not to love? Juicy chicken, crispy batter, tangy sauce — it's the complete package! But funding your frequent pickup, takeout, or delivery addiction can be quite pricey. With this recipe, you can easily whip up your own authentic main dish for a fraction of the price — your wallet and stomach will surely thank you.
Equipment
- Whisk
- Pot
- Pan
- Tongs
- Skimmer
Ingredients
- 375 g flour
- 125 g cornstarch
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 600 ml water
- 900 g chicken breast, cubed
- oil for frying
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 0.25 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tbsp garlic, chopped
- 0.5 tsp ginger
- 50 g brown sugar
- 60 ml orange juice
- 120 ml white vinegar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, vegetable oil, egg, and water together with a whisk.
- Mix the cubed chicken into the batter so that all pieces are evenly coated.
- Heat a pot of peanut oil or the oil of your choice. Once the oil is hot enough, carefully drop battered pieces of chicken into the pot with a pair of tongs. Depending on how crispy you like your chicken, the pieces should cook in the hot oil for 3-6 minutes.
- Once the batter is crispy enough, collect the chicken pieces with a skimmer and let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove the pot from the stove and let the oil cool.
- In a heated pan, roast the chili flakes, garlic, and ginger in the vegetable oil. Add the brown sugar and let the mixture caramelize while constantly stirring until golden brown. Then add the orange juice and white vinegar.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water together in a bowl. Add the resulting milky liquid in spoonfuls to the other ingredients in the pan. Stir everything together.
- Finally, add the battered chicken pieces, together with a teaspoon of sesame oil, and briefly fry them in the orange sauce until golden brown.
- This Chinese dish is best served with a helping of Jasmine rice. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top for a nice finish.
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Notes
Why order out when you can eat in? Save your money and your tastebuds with a delicious, homemade dinner recipe that's not only easy to make, but is free of all the less-than-pleasant things found in delivery food, like MSG, additives, and preservatives. Order up!