Orange Chicken

Helga Glaesel de BlandingAugust 3, 2015

This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)

I’ve been in a citrus mood lately, so I have another orange chicken recipe for you this week. I decided to use this one because I liked the combination of ingredients in the marinade. Since I made this on a busy weekday, I completely omitted one step: The original recipe asks that you dredge the chicken pieces in an egg mixture and then coat with cornstarch. Then you have to fry the chicken in 1 cup of oil. I’m sure this step renders a delicious crispy crust, but… no. I really don’t want to dredge the chicken pieces in an egg mixture and then coat them with cornstarch on a busy day. So, I just marinated the chicken and then stir fried the pieces, adding the thickened sauce at the end. It was still very flavorful, and definitely on the lighter side with no cornstarch coating and a lot less oil. I also used only 2 tablespoons of sugar instead of ½ cup.

White rice is the perfect side for this dish, and a simple cucumber salad would be a great pairing. So there you have it, another one of my busy mom weekday recipes! Let me know if you try it.

Helga

Orange Chicken

Recipe adapted from Damn Delicious
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Marinade:
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
⅓ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste (optional)
½ teaspoon fresh ginger, finely shredded
¼ teaspoon pepper

Procedure:

To make the marinade, whisk together chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, Sriracha (if using), ginger and pepper in a large bowl.
In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and ⅔ cup of the marinade; marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade.
Heat remaining marinade in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir in 2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened about 1-2 minutes; keep warm.
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Working in batches, add chicken and stir-fry until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve chicken immediately, tossed or drizzled with the marinade, garnished with sesame seeds and green onion, if desired.