Orange Chicken (Szechuan)
From https://www.seriouseats.com/
Orange chicken is a Chinese American dish of Hunan origin. The variety of orange chicken most commonly found at American fast food restaurants consists of chopped, battered, and fried chicken pieces coated in a spicy sweet orange-flavored chili sauce, which thickens or caramelizes to a glaze. While the dish is very popular in the United States, it is most often found as a variation of General Tso's Chicken rather than the authentic dish found in China.
Traditional orange chicken is first deep-fried, and then stir-fried in a lightly sweet soy-based sauce flavored with chopped dried orange peels. It is often garnished with vegetables, such as bok choy and baby carrots. While popular in China, the authentic orange chicken is generally unknown in the west, in order to appeal more to western palates. A recipe given by renowned cooking teacher and chef, Eileen Yin-Fei Lo, is far less sweet than most restaurants in the United States would prepare it and derives most of the flavor from the orange peel used. The typical recipe used in Western-influenced restaurants may use orange juice or fresh orange peel rather than dried peel, a great deal of sugar, and often garnishes the dish with steamed broccoli and dried chili peppers.
Crispy chunks of deep-fried battered chicken in a sweet, sour, and savory glaze with complex orange flavor. The Chinese take-out classic, made in your own kitchen.
Why this recipe works:
- A balanced sauce has plenty of vinegary kick to balance out the cloying sweetness that most restaurant versions have.
- Cooking the aromatics for the sauce at a lower temperature lets their flavors develop without having to superheat your wok or skillet.
- We add vodka to our chicken coating. Its higher volatility and ability to inhibit gluten formation leaves you with a superior crisp crust.
- Adding some of our marinade to our dry coating mixture creates little nuggets of coating that cling to the chicken pieces, adding more surface area for extra crunch.
Note: Shaoxing wine can be found in most Asian markets. If unavailable, dry sherry can be used in its place. If you can't find boneless skinless chicken thighs, you can debone them yourself using this guide. Dried orange peel can be found at Chinese grocers, or make your own by peeling off sections of orange peel with a vegetable peeler and placing on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 275° oven until mostly dry, about 45 minutes.
For the Marinade:
1 egg white
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (see note)
2 tablespoons 80-proof vodka
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch chunks (see note)
For the Dry Coating:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (see note)
2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seed oil
2 teaspoons grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 1 orange
1 tablespoon corn starch
4 (2-inch) strips dried orange peel (see note), also see Hot to Make Dried Tangerine Peel
2 teaspoons peanut, vegetable, or canola oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (about one 1-inch piece)
2 teaspoons thinly sliced scallion bottoms (about 1 scallion)
To Finish:
2 quarts of peanut, canola, or vegetable oil for deep frying
Steamed white rice and steamed broccoli for serving
For the Marinade: Beat egg whites in a large bowl until broken down and lightly foamy. Add soy sauce, wine, and vodka and whisk to combine. Set aside half of marinade in a small bowl. Add baking soda and corn starch to the large bowl and whisk to combine. Add chicken to large bowl and turn with fingers to coat thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
For the Dry Coat: Combine flour, corn starch, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk until homogenous. Add reserved marinade and whisk until mixture has coarse, mealy clumps. Set aside.
For the Sauce: Combine soy sauce, wine, vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame seed oil, orange zest and juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir with a fork until cornstarch is dissolved and no lumps remain. Add dried orange peel. Set aside.
Combine oil, garlic, ginger, and minced scallions in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are aromatic and soft, but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir sauce mixture and add to skillet, making sure to scrape out any sugar or starch that has sunk to the bottom. Cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer sauce to a bowl to stop cooking, but don't wipe out skillet.
To Finish: Heat 1 1/2 quarts peanut, vegetable, or canola oil in a large wok or Dutch oven to 350°F and adjust flame to maintain temperature.
Working one piece at a time, transfer chicken from marinade to dry coat mixture, tossing in between each addition to coat chicken. When all chicken is added to dry coat, toss with hands, pressing dry mixture onto chicken so it adheres, and making sure that every piece is coated thoroughly.
Lift chicken one piece at a time, shake off excess coating, and carefully lower into hot oil (do not drop it). Once all chicken is added, cook, agitating with long chopsticks or a metal spider, and adjusting flame to maintain a temperature of 325 to 375°F, until chicken is cooked through and very crispy, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a paper towel-lined bowl to drain.
Add chicken to empty skillet and return sauce to skillet. Toss chicken, folding it with a rubber spatula until all pieces are thoroughly coated. Serve immediately with white rice.
Note: Dried orange peel can be found at Chinese grocers, or make your own by peeling off sections of orange peel with a vegetable peeler and placing on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 275°F (135°C) oven until mostly dry, about 45 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6
