Easy Chinese Orange Chicken

Easy Chinese Orange Chicken

This take on Chinese Orange Chicken is simple to make and it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. When sautéing the chicken, it is important to cook the chicken in two batches to get a nice golden brown color. If you overcrowd the pan, it will result in steamed colorless chicken. This family friendly version is not as spicy as the true Szechuan style but a solid substitute with American ingredients.

Orange Chicken

1.5 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1” cubes

1.5 Tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon of cornstarch, divided

2 Tablespoons of canola oil

1/3 cup of orange juice

3 Tablespoons of soy sauce

3 Tablespoons of honey

1.5 Tablespoons of rice wine vinegar

1/4 Teaspoon of red pepper flakes or more to taste

1 Tablespoon of minced peeled fresh ginger

1 Tablespoon of minced garlic

1/3 cup of chopped green onions

Hot cooked rice

Toss the chicken with 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch and set aside. In a small bowl whisk the orange juice, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, red pepper flakes and the remaining ½ teaspoon of cornstarch. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add half of the chicken cubes and sauté until golden brown. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining chicken and the last tablespoon of canola oil. When all the chicken is cooked remove from the pan and keep warm. Add the garlic and the ginger to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Whisk the sauce well and pour into the pan along with the chicken and the green onions. Cook 1 minute and turn off the heat. Stir constantly until sauce has thickened about 1 minute more. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Serves 4