Orange Chicken Recipe

I thought India was the only country that liked to give Chinese food its own unique spin. However, I learnt America very much likes to do the same. American Chinese is the distant cousin of Indo- Chinese where they have egg rolls instead of spring rolls, crab Rangoon, sweet and sour protein dishes and a variety of concoctions you will never find in China. Much like how we have our own Hakka noodles, chilli chicken or chilli paneer.

One of their popular dishes which originated at a restaurant called Panda Express is their Orange Chicken. Perhaps it has some roots in China I’m not entirely certain but this has become an American takeout signature that is actually quite easy to recreate at home. Unlike the Indo Chinese dishes that tend to be fierier, the Orange Chicken recipe is on the sweeter side. So, if you prefer more heat then you’ll have to balance it out in the recipe but for the most part – orange chicken is a sweet tasting recipe.

Recipe

Ingredients

300 grams boneless skinless chicken legs

3 Table spoon Corn Flour

1 Egg

1 Teaspoon pepper

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Cup of Orange Juice

1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds

2 Table Spoon Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon chopped ginger and garlic

Oil For Frying

Method

Cut the chicken into smaller cubes or pieces and add the egg, 2 tablespoons of corn flour, salt and pepper and mix it all together so that the batter coats the chicken well.

In a wok or deep pan add some oil and once it’s hot start dropping the chicken in batches to fry it for a couple of minutes. About 4 to 5 mins should do. Don’t over crowd the pan or they won’t cook well.

Once they’re all cooked, set it aside on a paper towel to drain excess oil and get started on making the sauce.

In a bowl add the brown sugar, soy sauce, 1 Table spoon of corn flour (you can add more if you want a thicker gravy) the orange juice and a little water ( if you want a thicker gravy) mix it all as set it aside.

In your pan or wok drizzle some oil and add the chopped garlic and onion. Cook for a few minutes till they soften and turn fragrant and then add in the sauce mixture you’ve prepared. Cook the sauce for a few minutes and you’ll see it’s starts to thicken. Add in the cooked fried chicken and mix well so all the sticky thick sauce coats the chicken. Now at this stage if you want it sweeter then you can add more sugar to the mix or even some honey. If you prefer it with a little spice kick, please feel free to add in chilli flakes or hot sauce to the sauce mix. You can make it your own but this is the base recipe.

It will cook in minutes, if you want a more gravy heavy recipe like I’ve shown you in the video then add more water and a little more corn flour to the mix and keep adjusting the consistency till you get what you like. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, maybe garnish with chopped spring onion greens and serve hot.

How To Serve Orange Chicken

You can serve orange chicken however you like but it’s usually eaten with steamed or Chinese style fried rice. You can also serve it with noodles of your choice or eat it as is like an appetizer.