I tried this Chinese dish 2 years ago in Vienna and since then I cook it quite often! It’s very easy to prepare and everyone loves it. The only disadvantage is that it’s quite sweet, which makes it a bit unhealthy, but I’m sure you’ll be ok if you won’t eat it every day.
Is it possible to make Orange Chicken from scratch?
The answer is yes! There is no special ingredient you need to buy in a Chinese shop or so. All you need is (instead of love) some oranges, rice wine and soy sauce. The rest of ingredients definetely is in your pantry.
Oranges or tangerines?
Well… I’m not sure whetrer it is a huge mistake to replace oranges with tangerines, but I tried both and it was delicious. An option is also to use both in one dish.
How to fry the chicken
At this part you should be carefull and also patient, because the meat must be very dry. Use some paper towel to dry it and then coat in batter. Don’t skip this part because if yes, the oil will be everywhere…
Recipe:
Serves: 4
Time: 50 minutes
For chicken:
4 boneless and skinless chicken legs or 3 chicken breasts
4 eggs
1 cup / 120g all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
For orange sauce:
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
a pinch of chilli flakes
1/3 cup / 60ml rice wine
1 cup / 250ml fresh orange or tangerine juice
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup / 66g sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup / 125ml water
To serve:
2 cups jasmine rice
sesame seeds
step 1
Cut the chicken into cubes and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl combine the eggs, flour, cornstarch and salt. Whisk until smooth and add in the chicken. Mix everything together and let it chill for 20 minutes.
step 2
Heat a spoonful of oil in a pan and add the ginger with chilli flakes. Fry for 1 minute and then pour in the wine. Let it simmer for 1 or 2 minutes, add the orange juice, soy sauce and sugar and cook for 5 minutes. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with water and add this mixture into the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes and then turn the heat off.
step 3
Heat about a cup of oil in a pan/wok and fry the chicken from both sides until golden-brown. Transfer it in a plate lined with paper towel. Then place it into a large bowl and pour with the orange sauce.
step 4
Serve wih rice and sesame seeds.
