Restaurant Style Orange Chicken

Alright you guys, seriously, this orange chicken tastes exactly like the best orange chicken you’ve ever had at any restaurant. I was very, very, very skeptical at first because I’ve never fried meat before and I was afraid it would turn out terribly. Kramer was adamant about having me make orange chicken that would remind me him Chinese take-out, though, and I couldn’t let him down! It was perfectly crispy and crunchy and the sauce was right on point; sweet and tangy and with a little bit of heat.

I honestly can’t emphasize how good this orange chicken is. You won’t be able to stop eating it, and it heats up great in the microwave as leftovers the next day. This orange chicken is a revelation. Tell your friends and family! You are bound to be the most popular person on the block as soon as you cook up some of this in your house.

Your ingredients.

Mix together the chicken, egg, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil, then add in 1/2 cup of cornstarch and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.

Heat enough vegetable or canola oil in a pot or a wok (about an inch deep in the pot) for about 5 minutes over high heat.

Turn the heat to medium-high and fry the chicken in small batches so it cooks evenly. Fry for about 8 minutes for each batch.

Remove the chicken from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper towel until ready to use. It’s okay if it cools a bit; it’ll get reheated when you add it to the sauce.

In a bowl, combine the minced ginger, two cloves of garlic, crushed red pepper, green onions, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil.

In one more bowl, zest your orange.

Combine the orange zest with the soy sauce, five tablespoons of sugar, five tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and the juice of 2 oranges.

In another pot, stir fry the onion and ginger mixture for five minutes.

Add the orange juice mixture to the onions and bring to a light boil.

Combine 1/4 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

Add it to the sauce and stir until it starts to thicken, but be careful not to let it get too thick or burned! It shouldn’t take more than 3-4 minutes.

Add in the fried chicken and toss in the sauce until covered and the sauce is thick like molasses (like it is when you have it at a restaurant).

Serve with rice (or with broccoli if you are trying to make up for eating fried food, like me) and enjoy! You won’t believe your taste buds!

Restaurant Style Orange Chicken
Print this recipe
adapted from Recipe Zaar

2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
oil for frying, enough to fill a pot or wok with 1 inch of oil

1 tablespoon ginger, minced (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (1 1/2 teaspoon if you like it 1extra spicy)
1/4 cup green onion, sliced (about 3 or 4 green onions)
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup water mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Sauce
5 tablespoons soy sauce
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
zest of 1 orange
juice of 2 oranges

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Combine with the egg, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add in the cornstarch and flour (I found it easiest to mix this together with [clean] hands).

2. In a wok or a pot, heat enough canola or vegetable oil for frying (about an inch deep in the pot/wok) over high heat for 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to medium-high. Add the chicken to the oil in batches, cooking each batch for about 8-10 minutes until cooked through (take one piece out and slice it open to check that it’s cooked). Remove the chicken from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a plate covered lined with paper towels. Set aside until ready to toss in the sauce. It’s okay if the chicken cools a bit; it’ll get heated up again.

3. In a separate pot, add in the ginger, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, green onions, 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil. Stir fry for about five minutes, until fragrant. Combine the sauce ingredients and add them to the onion mixture. Bring everything to a light boil, then add in the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup of water. Heat everything until is starts to thicken a bit, about 3-4 minutes, then add in the fried chicken pieces. Toss to coat, and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes until the sauce is as thick as you’d like it to be. Serve with rice and/or vegetables.

Tagged as: Asian, chicken, Chinese, dinner, fried, orange, poultry, recipe, savory