Orange Chicken

My sons adore the Orange Chicken served at a most Chinese restaurants. It's often their "go-to" option when we're traveling or stuck in the airport for awhile. Problem is, almost EVERY time they order it, they get halfway through the meal and find a piece of chicken that's, well, unsavory. Not gross, just super-duper chewy. The rest of the dish ends up in the trash.

That got me thinking. I'm a recipe developer, so why haven't I been making my own Orange Chicken?! If I make it, I can control what goes into the dish (meaning I can use quality pieces of chicken), and eliminate calories, fat, salt, and anything else that doesn't belong in their bodies. I opened my fridge to see what I had and, hallelujah! I had everything I needed! That means, you probably do too.

Want easy cleanup? Instead of using 2 shallow dishes for coating the chicken with flour and panko bread crumbs, place the flour mixture in one zip-top bag and the panko bread crumbs in a second zip-top bag. Now you just have the shallow dish for the eggs.

Best temperature? If you have a thermometer, use it. You want the oil at about 375 degrees - less fat is absorbed when the oil is hot.

Too much orange? Many "Orange Chicken" recipes use about 2 tablespoons of orange juice for the ENTIRE sauce. The rest is water, or soy sauce, or... That said, my version has a distinct orange flavor because I use 1 cup. If you want something more subtle, instead of 1 cup of orange juice, use 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup, and replace the rest with water or broth.

Orange Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Vegetable oil for pan-frying

Place the flour and garlic powder in a shallow dish and stir to blend. Place the eggs in a separate shallow dish, and the panko bread crumbs in a third shallow dish. Season each dish with salt and pepper.
Add the chicken pieces to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Shake off excess flour and transfer the chicken to the eggs. Toss to coat. Transfer the chicken to the panko and toss to coat, gently pressing the panko into the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes (and up to 12 hours). Why? Chilling the chicken ensures that the coating sticks after frying.
To make the orange sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Set aside.
Heat about 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Get the oil to about 375 degrees.
Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on all sides, turning frequently. Transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels and return it to medium-high heat. Add the orange juice mixture to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces and the chicken is cooked through.
Serve immediately (this dish is best served right away because the chicken will get soggy if you wait...).

Serves 4