ORANGE CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS: 
  • 6-8 ounces boned chicken (cut into bite-size cubes)
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry (optional)
  • 2 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 T flour
  • Oil for deep frying
Orange Sauce: 
  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) freshly-squeezed orange juice (zest 1 tsp of orange zest before juicing oranges and set aside)
  • 2 ounces (1/4 cup) chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (optional) 
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper 
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • Salt to taste
For Finishing
  • 2 or 3 dried red chilies (cut into 1.5 inch length, seeded and soaked in warm water) 
  • 1 teaspoon minced orange zest
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped coarsely 
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped coarsely
  • 1 inch ginger (minced)
  • 1 stalk scallion (cut into thin threads for garnishing)
  • 2 teaspoons oil     

METHOD:
Chicken and marinade 
  1. Whisk 2 tablespoons soy sauce, wine if using, ginger, and garlic together in a large bowl. Add the cubed chicken and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Using a large slotted spoon, move the chicken cubes from the marinade into a colander, leaving the remaining liquid behind. Let drain for five minutes and then toss the chicken in cornstarch and flour to coat. Tap off any excess.
For Sauce
  1. First zest 1 teaspoon of the oranges and set zest aside. 
  2. Mix all of the orange sauce ingredients and set aside. 
Cooking
  1. Heat up a pot/wok with 1/4 cup cooking oil. When the cooking oil is hot enough for frying, working in batches, place the marinated chicken pieces into the oil in a single layer and fry them until they turn golden brown and crispy. Transfer them out onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. 
  2. If necessary, remove all but 2 teaspoons of cooking oil (or add). Quickly stir-fry the minced garlic, ginger, onions and bell pepper. Add in the dried red chilies and toss around until you smell the spicy aroma. Add the minced orange zest and the orange sauce mixture. Continue to stir-fry until the sauce thickens. Add cooked chicken to sauce and warm through.
  3. Dish out, garnish with the scallions and serve immediately with steamed white rice. 

STEAMED RICE
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  1. Place rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Let drain.
  2. Place rice, salt, and measured water in a medium saucepan with a tightfitting lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer undisturbed ten minutes. Turn off heat and, without removing lid, let sit covered to steam for ten more minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.