Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Asian Orange Chicken





Sauce:

1 1/2 c. Water

4 T. Orange juice concentrate

1/4 c. Lemon juice

1/3 c. Rice vinegar

2 1/2 T. Soy sauce

1 c. Brown sugar

1/2 t. Minced garlic

2 T. Chopped green onion (white or yellow onion minced is just as good)

1/4-1/2 t. (three good hard shakes) Red pepper flakes

6 T. Cornstarch

4 T. Water


Chicken:


2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 c. All-purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

Oil


Pour water, orange juice concentrate, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar, garlic, onion, and red pepper. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and cool until it is warm to the touch, or 10-15 minutes. Place the chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag and add 1 cup of the cooled sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag and refrigerate at least 2 hours. In another plastic bag mix the flour, salt and black pepper. When the chicken is done marinating, take out of sauce and put into the bag with the flour mixture and shake until all the pieces are well coated. Reserve the sauce used to marinate chicken. Heat oil (start with 3-6 tablespoons, then add to oil as need as you cook, keeping about the amount you started with in the pan) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place the coated chicken in the skillet, making sure the pieces are not touching (you will have to cook the chicken in about 3 different batches). Cook until chicken is well browned, and totally cooked. This is why small pieces is important. Take out of skillet and drain on a paper towel covered plate. Cover chicken with foil to keep warm. Add reserved marinating sauce back to the sauce pan of saved sauce from earlier. Bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch in 4 tablespoons of water pour this mixture slowly into sauce while stirring vigorously. Keep stirring to prevent burning, until sauce has thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Now dump chicken into the sauce, and stir. Cook for another 1-2 minutes stirring constantly but gently so as not to break the chicken cubes. Turn heat off and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Serve over fried rice or oriental rice noodles. Then prepare to have the best dinner ever! Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry the eaters are. :)

3 comments:

Excelsior said...

I've always wanted to make this! I shall have to go out and buy some O.J. now that I have a recipe :D

Essie said...

Wait, are you referring to the Orange or the Chicken as being Asian? =/

Kathryn said...

The recipe is Asain Essie, the recipe. ;)