So, orange is in season & I am a HUGE FAN! I love all kinds of oranges & the green sour dry ones are my absolute favorite. Adding orange juice/zest to sweet & savory dishes gives an amazing fresh kick & really makes a huge difference in the taste.

I have always thought orange chicken is a Chinese dish until I watched this video that said that you can never find orange chicken served in any restaurant in China/Japan & that it’s origin is probably Hawaii. Don’t know if that’s true but thought of sharing it with you.

Anyways, back to our recipe! If you are an orange lover, you will fall in love with this dish & if you don’t like oranges, give it a try as it’s not too orange-y as you think! Yes the main sauce ingredient is orange juice but it’s flavored with so many things that gives orange juice a new dimension!

Bite size chicken pieces are coated with a very easy batter that not only makes a crispy crust but it also keeps the chicken very tender. The chicken is then tossed with an epic orange sauce flavored with garlic, ginger, chili pepper, soy sauce, sugar & vinegar. AMAZING!

The dish is very easy, prepared in no time yet it is guaranteed to please your taste buds! It’s nice to serve your family new dishes & new flavors every now & then.

P.S. The green onion & sesame seeds are not for garnish; they really add alot to the overall taste of the dish.

Ingredients:

• 500 gm boneless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
• Oil for deep frying
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds سمسم
• 1/3 cup green onions, green parts only thinly sliced بصل أخضر

For the Orange Sauce:

• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar خل الرز
• 1 heaped tsp cornstarch نشا
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tsp chili peppper, finely diced فلفل حار
• 1 tsp oil
• salt

For the Chicken Coating:

• 1 egg white بياض بيض
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch نشا
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup water, VERY COLD
• 1 tbsp oil
• pinch of salt

Directions:

• To prepare the orange sauce: In a bowl mix the orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar & cornstarch together. Make sure the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside. Heat a small pot over medium high heat. Add the oil & cook the garlic, ginger, chili pepper for about 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let them get brown). Add the orange juice mixture, bring to a boil & keep boiling for a minute or so until the sauce slightly thickens. Turn off heat. Set aside. Taste for salt seasoning.
• To prepare the chicken: Mix the coating ingredients together until you have a smooth batter. Add the chicken to the batter & mix until the chicken is well coated with the batter. Heat oil in a deep pot over high heat & drop the chicken piece by piece in the oil (otherwise they will stick together) & deep fry until golden brown. Place on paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
• To assemble: Place the orange sauce back on the stove over medium low heat until it comes to a low boil. Add the chicken & toss well with the sauce. Turn off heat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds & green onion. Serve immediately with white or fried rice.

Notes:

• It is not a mistake; DONT add salt or pepper to the chicken cubes.
• The water used in the chicken batter has to be VERY COLD.
• You have to drop the chicken one by one in the oil otherwise they will stick together. Don’t over crowd the pot; fry the chicken in batches.
• If you want a stronger orange taste, add the zest of half an orange to the sauce.
• Mix the chicken with the sauce right before serving otherwise it will become bery dry.