Chinese Orange Chicken

Chinese Orange Chicken - made December 16, 2016 from Damn Delicious

This is another easy chicken dish. Well, easy in terms of putting the marinade together. The biggest pain with these types of recipes is the breading and frying of the chicken. I admit I have no patience for it.

If you want it somewhat healthier, you can either bread and bake it instead of frying it or leave off the breading altogether, stir fry the chicken then add the marinade. I did it as the recipe instructed and it was a pain with all the breading and frying. Not the recipe's fault, my patience just doesn't stretch that far. I don't think my efforts would make Panda Express' Orange Chicken lose any sleep about competition but for an "easy" orange chicken dish, this was pretty tasty. I like to zest the oranges before I squeeze them for the juice then garnish with orange zest instead of sesame seeds and green onion but you can do either or both.

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Marinade
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1. Marinade: whisk together chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, Sriracha, ginger and white pepper in a large bowl.
2. In a gallon-size Ziploc bag, combine chicken and 2/3 cup of the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade.
3. 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.
4. Working one piece at a time, dip the chicken into the eggs then dredge in remaining 1 cup cornstarch, pressing to coat.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Working in batches, add the chicken and dry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Discard excess oil.
6. Toss chicken with the marinade, garnish with sesame seeds and green onion, if desired. Serve immediately.