Fried chicken comes in many forms, from the traditional Sunday picnic fried chicken to spicy crispy wings to golden, bite-size nuggets. In Rebecca Lang’s newest book, “Fried Chicken,” the author shares a recipe for Chinese-style orange chicken sweetened with fresh orange juice and honey.
Homemade Orange Chicken
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, divided
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
For the orange sauce:
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. light sesame oil
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 cups cornstarch plus 1 Tbsp.
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Steamed rice, for serving
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
2 green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced, for garnish
1 red chile pepper, thinly sliced, for garnish
To make the marinade, combine 1 cup orange juice and soy sauce in a large zip-top bag. Add chicken pieces, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 3 hours.
To make the orange sauce, in a heavy stainless-steel skillet, heat vegetable oil and sesame oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for about 45 seconds, or until fragrant and lightly browned. Add vinegar and soy sauce to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 cup orange juice, honey and the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour the orange juice mixture into the skillet, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
In a deep fryer or large, deep stockpot, heat 3 inches of vegetable oil over high heat to 375 degrees. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, salt, ginger and cayenne pepper.
Remove the chicken from the zip-top bag and drain in a colander. Working with a few pieces at a time, dredge in the cornstarch mixture. Fry the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain pieces on the wire rack.
Warm the orange sauce over low heat. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the fried chicken pieces and the warmed orange sauce. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, green onions and chile pepper slices. Serves 4.
— From "Fried Chicken: Recipes for the Crispy, Crunchy, Comfort-Food Classic" by Rebecca Lang ($16.99, Ten Speed Press)
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