Better Than Take-Out Orange Chicken

Pan-fried, crispy chicken, simmered in a glossy, orange-, soy- and sesame-infused sauce. This dish will, undoubtedly, knock your socks off.

You seriously need to put this side-by-side with your favorite take-out. The salty/sweet sauce perfectly replicates the restaurant version, without copious amounts of grease. And that's a good thing because grease doesn't add FLAVOR, just fat. Leave it behind and wrap your arms around this quick and easy, stove-top dinner.

There are several layers of flavor in the chicken too. The base (flour) coating is seasoned with garlic and onion. Then there's the egg layer, followed by crispy panko bread crumbs. And that's BEFORE the chicken is simmered in the flavor-packed sauce. My mouth is watering just reliving this dish.

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 to clean the shallow dish with 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.

Better Than Take-Out Orange Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 large eggs
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar, regular or seasoned
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Vegetable oil for pan-frying

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well and set aside.
Whisk the eggs together in a separate shallow dish.
Place 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. Turn to coat. Transfer the chicken to the bread crumbs and toss to coat, gently pressing the crumbs 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 while frying.
To make the orange sauce, in a medium bowl, whisk together the broth, orange juice, soy sauce, 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 (work in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan). Transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain. Drain the oil, 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 3 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