Orange Chicken

All I can say is wow, I have never had orange chicken quite this tasty before.  This meal was a pleaser for sure.  Lightly fried chicken with orange bell peppers and broccoli, smothered in tangy, sweet sauce with just a touch of spice.



Sauce Ingredients:

• Juice of 1 medium valencia orange (3 tablespoons)
• Juice of 1 lemon (2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger root
• 2 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1/2 water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic
• 2 tablespoons green onion
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you would like it to be spicier)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

Chicken and Veggies Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 cup broccoli
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons safflower oil

Sauce Steps:

In a Medium sauce pan, combine the orange and lemon juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, brown sugar, minced garlic, chopped green onion, red pepper flakes, ginger root, and the orange and lemon zest.

Heat over medium-high heat until boiling.

Once the sauce is boiling, remove it from the heat.

Pour the sauce into a pyrex bowl that has a lid.

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

In the mean time, chop the chicken into cubes.

On a separate cutting board, chop the orange bell pepper and the broccoli.

Place the meat and the veggies into different containers (you can keep both the peppers and the broccoli in the same container.)

Once the sauce has cooled, pour 1 cup over the chicken.  

Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour.

Pour 1/2 cup of sauce over the veggies, cover and place in the fridge.

Reserve the rest of the sauce in a separate container, and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.



Steps for Orange Chicken:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

In a large zip top bag, pour in the flour, salt, and pepper.

Add the chicken to the bag, seal, and shake until the chicken is evenly coated.

Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the skillet in a single layer.

In a separate large sauce pan, pour the sauce and veggies (including the sauce that you poured over the veggies.)

Heat over medium-high heat until boiling.

Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water.

Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the cornstarch and water.

Flip the chicken.

Stir the sauce occasionally, and it will thicken.

When the chicken is cooked through, add it to the sauce and veggies.

Pile it on top of some fluffy white rice, and serve your orange chicken with some crispy wontons, spring rolls, or dumplings.