Orange Chicken
On April 1, 2014 by Meghalee Das
Orange Chicken is one of the most common American Chinese dishes, where battered and fried pieces of chicken are tossed in a spicy orange sauce. Although it has been mainly popularized by fast food restaurants like the Panda Express, the dish did originate in the Hunan province of China. Traditionally dried orange peel, which is believed to have medicinal properties, was used in this recipe. But outside China, people usually use only orange juice and fresh orange zest, or do not use the zest at all.
It is interesting to note how Chinese food has been adapted all across the world to suit the palate of its native inhabitants. Just like American Chinese, Indian Chinese cuisine is also distinctly different from the food in mainland China. The Chinese settlers in India use more spices, and steamed dishes are not that popular, except perhaps different types of dumplings.
No matter what the origin of the recipe is or how it has been modified, orange chicken continues to be a favourite. It is spicy, sweet, crispy and tangy. Have it as a side with some fried rice or noodles or serve it as an appetizer.
Ingredients:
For sauce:
Orange juice: ¼ cup
Orange zest: 1 tsp
Soy sauce: 1 tsp
Chicken stock: 1 tbsp
A small pinch of sugar
Other ingredients:
Boneless, skinless chicken breast: 1.5 pounds
Egg: 1
Crushed pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Cornstarch/conrnflour: ½ cup +1 tbsp
Plain flour: 2 tbsp
Red chilli flakes: 1 tbsp
Ginger paste: 1 ½ tsp
Chopped garlic: 1 tsp
Chopped green onions: 2 tbsp
Apple cider vinegar/rice wine vinegar: 1 tbsp
Water: ¼ cup
Sesame oil: 1 tbsp (optional)
Vegetable oil for frying
1) Combine all the ingredients of the orange sauce and keep aside.
2) Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. To this, add a beaten egg, 1 tsp vegetable oil, flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper to taste. Coat the chicken pieces well with this mixture and keep aside.
3) Heat vegetable oil and deep fry the chicken on medium high heat till they are golden and crispy.
Drain excess oil on a paper towel.
4) In a separate pan or wok, heat about 1 tbsp vegetable oil and on medium high to high heat, add the red chilli flakes, chopped garlic and ginger paste. Keep stirring while frying them so that the garlic does not burn. After a few seconds, add the green onions and the vinegar.
5) Immediately add the orange sauce and the fried chicken pieces and toss everything together.
Mix 1 tbsp cornflour with ¼ cup water and pour over this to make a sauce. Drizzle 1 tbsp sesame oil before serving.
6) Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot with fried rice.
- Orange juice: ¼ cup
- Orange zest: 1 tsp
- Soy sauce: 1 tsp
- Chicken stock: 1 tbsp
- A small pinch of sugar
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast: 1.5 pounds
- Egg: 1
- Crushed pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Cornstarch/conrnflour: ½ cup +1 tbsp
- Plain flour: 2 tbsp
- Red chilli flakes: 1 tbsp
- Ginger paste: 1 ½ tsp
- Chopped garlic: 1 tsp
- Chopped green onions: 2 tbsp
- Apple cider vinegar/rice wine vinegar: 1 tbsp
- Water: ¼ cup
- Sesame oil: 1 tbsp (optional)
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Combine all the ingredients of the orange sauce and keep aside.
- Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. To this, add a beaten egg, 1 tsp vegetable oil, flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper to taste. Coat the chicken pieces well with this mixture and keep aside.
- Heat vegetable oil and deep fry the chicken on medium high heat till they are golden and crispy. Drain excess oil on a paper towel.
- In a separate pan or wok, heat about 1 tbsp vegetable oil and on medium high to high heat, add the red chilli flakes, chopped garlic and ginger paste. Keep stirring while frying them so that the garlic does not burn. After a few seconds, add the green onions and the vinegar.
- Immediately add the orange sauce and the fried chicken pieces and toss everything together. Mix 1 tbsp cornflour with ¼ cup water and pour over this to make a sauce. Drizzle 1 tbsp sesame oil before serving.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot with fried rice.
