Orange flavored Chicken
I made C.I.'s Orange Flavored Chicken tonight. It is a keeper. LOved the rich orange flavor and it wasn't overly sweet. Chicken had a nice crispy outer coating and stayed crispy even in orange sauce. I served over rice. Husband had two servings and we still had enough to use for his lunch tomorrow. I used chicken tenders and it took about 3 1/2 min. to deep fry instead of the 5 min. in recipe. This recipe will def. be added to rotation. Enjoy! Steph
Orange-Flavored Chicken
5/2005
We prefer the thigh meat for this recipe, though an equal amount of boneless skinless chicken breasts can be used. It is easiest to grate the orange zest and remove the strips of orange peel before juicing the oranges; use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the strips. For extra spiciness, increase the cayenne added to the sauce to 1/2 teaspoon. The whole dried chiles are added for appearance, not for flavor, and can be omitted. To fry the chicken, use a Dutch oven or a straight-sided sauté pan (with at least 3-quart capacity); do not use a 12-inch skillet with sloped sides, as it will be too small to contain the oil once the chicken is added. White rice and steamed broccoli are good accompaniments.
Serves 4
Marinade and Sauce
1 1/2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs , trimmed and cut in 1 1/2-inch pieces 3/4cup low-sodium chicken broth 3/4cup orange juice , plus 1 1/2 teaspoons grated zest, and 8 strips orange peel (each about 2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide) from 2 oranges 6tablespoons distilled white vinegar 1/4cup soy sauce 1/2cup packed dark brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces) 3medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon) 1piece fresh ginger (about 1 inch), grated (1 tablespoon) 1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper 1tablespoon cornstarch , plus 2 teaspoons 2tablespoons water (cold) 8small whole dried red chiles (optional)
Coating and Frying Medium
3large egg whites 1cup cornstarch 1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2teaspoon baking soda 3cups peanut oil
1. FOR THE MARINADE AND SAUCE: Place chicken in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. Combine chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne in large saucepan (with at least 3-quart capacity); whisk until sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup mixture and pour into bag with chicken; make sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes, but no longer.
2. Bring remaining mixture in saucepan to boil over high heat. In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water; whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in orange peel and chiles (sauce should measure 1 1/2 cups); set sauce aside.
3. FOR THE COATING: Place egg whites in pie plate; beat until frothy. In second pie plate, whisk cornstarch, cayenne, and baking soda until combined. Drain chicken ; thoroughly pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of chicken pieces in egg whites and coat; transfer pieces to cornstarch mixture and dredge. Place chicken pieces on wire rack set over baking sheet; repeat with remaining chicken.
4. TO FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat oil in 11- to 12-inch Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan with at least 3-quart capacity over high heat until oil registers 350 degrees on instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Carefully place half of chicken in oil one piece at a time; fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Drain chicken pcs on plate lined with paper towels. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken.
5. TO SERVE: Reheat sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve immediately.