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Stuff Yourself Silly Orange Chicken

The hubby is out of town this week which makes it the perfect time to cook up all the dishes that he won’t eat. You know the ones that don’t contain beef and potatoes.  Chinese cuisine is one of my favorites and I rarely get it because Cory isn’t a fan.  The smell of stir-fry’s in my house are welcomed by funny faces and “what the heck are you cooking?”.  It is just easier not to make it rather then listen to my “funny” husband and his side remarks.

So while he is out of town I am cooking up a storm in the kitchen and dirtying lots of dishes.  I won’t lie this orange chicken recipe sure does make lots of dishes so make sure your dishwasher is empty before you begin.  I guarantee it is worth it though.  Oh this orange chicken really did melt in my mouth.  Seriously Annie’s Eats has hit the nail on the head with this recipe.

Both boys asked for seconds and I think I am going to waddle for week.  It was that good.  Paired up with some white or stir fried rice and you have a meal fit for  king.  If I tossed in steamed broccoli could I  justify serving up every week?  Probably not, oh who am I kidding I could justify it weekly but my doctor might have something to say about that.

I encourage you to run not walk to the store to get these ingredients!

The Cast Of Orange Chicken

For the marinade and sauce:
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1½ tsp. finely grated orange zest
6 tbsp. white vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1½ lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water
8 thin strips orange peel (optional)

For the coating and frying:
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
3 cups peanut or canola oil (I like a combination)

Directions For Orange Chicken

1.  Make the marinade and sauce by combining chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan. Blend well and heat  through to dissolve brown sugar.

2.  Marinate the chicken with 3/4 cup of marinade in a large ziploc bag for 30-60 minutes.  No longer than 60 minutes.

3.  Place the saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan with the sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute.  Remove sauce mixture from heat and mix in fresh orange peel if using.

4.  To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy.

5.  In a second pie plate mix the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper until blended.

6.  Heat oil in your fryer or a 12 inch skillet to 350 degrees.

7.  Drain you chicken marinade and pat your chicken pieces dry.  Start coating your chicken in batches.  First place chicken in egg whites and coat.  Transfer coated chicken pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly.  Place coated chicken pieces into your hot oil and fry about five minutes, until juices run clear.  Transfer fried chicken pieces to a towel with a couple paper towels to soak up the extra oil.

8.  Continue coating and frying renaming chicken pieces.

9.  Combine chicken pieces with your sauce in the sauce pan and coat your chicken thoroughly.

10.  Serve orange chicken with white or fried rice and prepare to be stuffed full.

Don’t let the thought of dishes or the long list of ingredients scare you away from making this dish, you won’t be disappointed.

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