How to Make Easy Orange Chicken

Orange chicken is a common Chinese takeout food.

Orange chicken is also called tangerine chicken and orange peel chicken. This Chinese dish has numerous variations, with different levels of sweetness since many countries have adapted their own versions of the dish. Orange chicken is typically served over rice and garnished with vegetables such as carrots, broccoli or boy choy. Make orange chicken by following an easy recipe that involves frying the chicken and heating ingredients for the orange sauce.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 lbs. skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 bowls
• Deep fryer
• 12 inch skillet
• 1 cup water
• 2-1/2 tbsp. orange juice
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. minced ginger root
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp. cornstarch

Instructions

1. Pour the 1/2 cup of buttermilk into a large bowl. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add them to the bowl. Stir until all the chicken pieces are coated with buttermilk.

2. Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a separate bowl. One by one, dip each piece of chicken into the flour mixture until completely coated with flour. Shake off any excess flour.

3. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a few pieces of chicken to the oil at a time and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden crispy. Place the fried chicken on paper towels to soak up any excess oil.

4. Mix together the water, orange juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, minced ginger root and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Place the mixture in a saucepan and heat on high until it starts to boil.

5. Combine the cornstarch and about 4 tbsp. of water in a small bowl and stir until the cornstarch dissolves. Add this mixture to the boiling saucepan and stir for about 5 minutes.

6. Reduce the heat to low before adding the fried chicken pieces to the sauce. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes before serving.

References

• "The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook"; Zoe Coulson; 1980

Resources

• Cooks.com: Orange Chicken Recipes