Description
This orange chicken tastes just like the Cheesecake Factory version; extra crunchy pieces of juicy chicken covered in a tangy, fruity orange sauce with a kick of heat.
Scale
Ingredients
The Chicken:
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 Eggs, whisked well
- 1/3 cup Cornstarch
- 1/3 cup Flour
- Oil – enough for frying
Orange Sauce:
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or Tamari for GF
- Zest from one orange
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Garnish – chopped green onion and grated orange peel
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat combine chicken broth, orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and chili flakes. Heat for several minutes.
- Stir in brown sugar and continue to cook until the sugar is dissolved, bringing the sauce to a low boil.
- In a small dish whisk the water and cornstarch together and add into the sauce. Allow the sauce to thicken, then remove from the heat and add the orange zest.
- Set the sauce aside until ready to use. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools down.
The Chicken:
- Pre-heat oil in a fry-safe pot to 375 degrees, monitoring and adjusting the temp with a thermometer as you go.
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Combine the flour and cornstarch in a shallow dish. Add a generous pinch of salt and mix well to incorporate.
-
Whisk eggs in a separate shallow dish.
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Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and then flour mixture and directly into the hot oil.
- Deep fry chicken in batches until completely cooked through, turning the chicken pieces frequently as you go, about 3 minutes per batch.
- Turn out the chicken onto a sheet pan lined with layers of paper towels or paper bags.
- Optional: For extra crispy chicken, let the chicken settle for a few moments and then add it back into the oil for an additional minute.
- To serve, toss the crispy chicken pieces in the sauce and reserve a little sauce to top off the chicken and rice. Add grated orange zest and chopped green onion.