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Chinese Orange Chicken

by on February 10, 2013 in Main Courses, Poultry February 10, 2013 Main CoursesPoultry
See post on Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet’s site!
4.50 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 52 votes, average: 4.50 out of 52 votes, average: 4.50 out of 52 votes, average: 4.50 out of 52 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5

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Level: Easy

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Description

Tender, crispy battered chicken in a rich and flavorful orange sauce. This Daring Gourmet recipe rivals your favorite Chinese restaurant version.

See the related blog post for a vegetarian/vegan version.

Ingredients

  • FOR THE CHICKEN:
  • 2  Egg Whites
  • ¼ cups Cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoons Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Sherry Or Rice Vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
  • ⅛ teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 2  Chicken Breasts, Cut Into 1/2 Inch Cubes
  • Oil, For Frying
  • FOR THE ORANGE SAUCE:
  • 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, Minced
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic, Minced
  • 1-½ cup Strong Chicken Broth
  • 2 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Orange Zest
  • 2-½ Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • ¼ cups Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
  • ⅓ cups Rice Vinegar
  • ½ cups Granulated Sugar
  • ½ cups Brown Sugar
  • 2  Red Chiles, Broken In Pieces And Seeds Discarded (or 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chile Flakes)
  • 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons Water
  • ½ teaspoons Sesame Oil
  • ¼ cups Green Onions, Sliced
  • Fresh Orange Slices For Garnishing (optional)

Preparation

For the chicken:
Combine the egg whites, cornstarch, salt, sherry, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Pour over chicken in a sealable plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

If you prefer a thicker coating, remove the chicken pieces from the baggie and roll them in some extra cornstarch. Heat some vegetable or peanut oil on high in a wok, deep fryer, or heavy skillet and carefully lower the chicken into the oil. Fry until crispy golden brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to paper towels to absorb the oil.

For the sauce:
Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or wok. Saute the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds, then add all remaining ingredients, except for the green onions. Bring the sauce to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken pieces and green onions to the sauce, stir to coat, and bring the sauce to a low simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice and fresh orange slices.

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bunqui on 3.31.2014

This was really good!! I agree with Cathey, the sauce was the right balance. It also made a good amount of sauce which is nice. I always follow exactly the recipe the first time and I don’t think I will need to ever make any changes, it was definietly a “keeper” per my husband.

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Jennifer Vought on 7.23.2019

Our kids love orange chicken so this was my first time attempt making homemade orange chicken. The batter for the chicken is a perfect balance of light & crispy. Loved it! I will keep the batter recipe handy for future recipes! There was plenty of orange sauce for all, but the only constructive criticism was that it was “too orangy” so next time I will not include the orange zest. I made a double batch of this recipe since I need to feed three hungry men and that was a perfect amount with just a little leftover. This recipe was really awesome! I will be making it again, but will need to take in consideration the 1.5-2 hr prep & cooking time (deep frying takes a while).

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Cathey on 3.28.2014

This is wonderful, the chicken is tender and sweet. The sauce has the right balance of sweet, heat and acid. I beat the egg whites till frothy then add the other ingredients. The batter is a keeper for any protein, fish, chicken, pork, or shrimp. I did not add the baking powder, don’t think it missed it. I especially like it’s Gluten Free (use tamari instead of soy sauce). Thanks for posting Kimberly.

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