Chinese Takeout Orange Chicken

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Chinese Takeout Orange Chicken Recipe Document

Recipe

Orange Chicken Master Recipe (Traditional Batter)

Ingredients:

1 lb. (453 grams) chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 recipe traditional chicken batter (see below)

1 recipe Orange Chicken sauce (see below)

Neutral oil, for frying the chicken

1 tsp. (5 ml) toasted sesame oil

Directions:

1. Prepare batter according to instructions below and once completed add chicken pieces to the batter and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before frying
2. In a large pot or wok, heat several inches of oil to 325°F (162°C)
3. Working in several batches, add battered chicken, piece by piece, into the hot oil, after a few seconds, agitate chicken so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot
4. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes, or until it is cooked all the way through
5. Remove chicken to a wired rack or baking sheet lined with paper towels
6. Allow chicken to cool down and raise the temperature of the oil to 375°F (190°C)
7. Fry chicken again for about 2 minutes or until the crust has browned slightly
8. Remove chicken to a wired rack or baking sheet lined with paper towels
9. Prepare orange sauce according to instructions below
10. Toss prepared chicken in sauce until all pieces are evenly coated, drizzle in toasted sesame oil and toss chicken. Serve immediately.

Traditional Batter Recipe:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups (180 grams) AP flour

½ cup (64 grams) cornstarch

1 tsp (4.8 grams) baking powder

¼ tsp (1.2 grams) baking soda

1 tsp (6 grams) table salt

½ tsp (2 grams) MSG

¼ tsp (0.6 gram) white pepper

1 large egg

1 cup (236 ml) ice cold water 

1 tbsp neutral oil

Directions:

1. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl
2. Add egg and water and stir until you have the consistency of pancake or waffle batter 
3. Add oil and stir it in until it’s evenly mixed
4. Refrigerate until ready to use

Orange Chicken Master Recipe (Modern Batter)

Ingredients:

1 lb. (453 grams) chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 recipe Kenji Lopez modern-style chicken batter (see below)

1 recipe Orange Chicken sauce (see below)

Neutral oil, for frying the chicken

Directions:

1. Prepare batter and dredge according to instructions below 
2. In a large pot or wok, heat several inches of oil to 350°F (176°C)
3. Marinate chicken according to instructions below, then dredge chicken in flour/cornstarch mixture
4. Working in several batches, add breaded chicken, piece by piece, into the hot oil, after a few seconds, agitate chicken so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot
5. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes, or until it is cooked all the way through
6. Remove chicken to a wired rack or baking sheet lined with paper towels
7. Allow chicken to cool down and raise the temperature of the oil to 375°F (190°C)
8. Fry chicken again for about 2 minutes or until the crust has browned slightly
9. Remove chicken to a wired rack or baking sheet lined with paper towels
10. Prepare orange sauce according to instructions below
11. Toss prepared chicken in sauce and serve

Kenji Lopez extra crispy method (Marinade, Batter, Dredge) 

Ingredients:

1 lb (450 grams) chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks

Chicken marinade

1 large egg white

1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce

2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing wine

½ tsp (2.5 ml) toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp (30 ml) vodka

3 tbsp (24 grams) cornstarch

⅛ tsp (.3 gram) ground white pepper

¼ tsp (1 gram) MSG

⅛ tsp (.75 grams) table salt

¼ tsp (1.5 grams) baking soda

Directions:

Beat egg white until frothy and add all liquids. Set aside 2-3 tablespoons. Add dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Add chicken and thoroughly mix. Marinade chicken for at least 15 minutes or up to 8 hours. Make sure to stir well before using because cornstarch will settle at the bottom. 

Dry coating (dredge)

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (104 grams) cornstarch

½ cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour

¾ tsp (3.6 grams) baking powder

¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) table salt

½ teaspoon (2 grams) MSG

Directions: 

Add all dry ingredients. Whisk to combine. Add reserved 2-3 tablespoons of marinade, whisk, or crumble with your fingers. Set aside. 

Orange Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

Sauce mixture:

2 tbsp (24 grams) white sugar

2 tbsp (24 grams) brown sugar

¼ tsp (1 gram) MSG

¼ tsp (0.6 gram) white pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) white vinegar

¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice

¼ cup (60 ml) chicken broth or water

1 tbsp (19 grams) oyster sauce

1 tsp (5 ml) orange extract

2 tbsp (30 m) light soy sauce

½ tsp (2.5 ml) dark soy sauce

Neutral oil

1 tsp (2.5 grams) grated garlic

1 tsp (2.5 grams) grated ginger

1 tsp (5 grams) Sambal oelek – or ¼ tsp (1.2 grams) dried red pepper flakes 

1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine

Cornstarch slurry: 1 tbsp (8 grams) cornstarch mixed in 1 tbsp (15 ml) water

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients for the sauce mixture to a small bowl and whisk until the sugar and spices are dissolved. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat
3. Add garlic, ginger, and sambal chili paste to the pan and cook for 20-30 seconds, or until fragrant
4. Add cooking wine to pan to deglaze the aromatics, stir, and reduce slightly
5. Add the sauce mixture to the pan and bring it up to a simmer, reduce very slightly, stir the cornstarch slurry and slowly add the slurry to the simmering sauce while stirring to prevent clumps
6. Heat the sauce until it has thickened to your desired consistency and turn off heat 

Ingredients Affiliate Links:

Orange Extract: https://geni.us/bVOwj

All Purpose Flour: https://geni.us/uTx9j

Cornstarch: https://geni.us/NTH4v4

Baking Powder: https://geni.us/XBgy2jp

Baking Soda: https://geni.us/HSDr

Morton’s Table Salt: https://geni.us/ZkqtN

MSG: https://geni.us/FV5mIa

White Pepper: https://geni.us/ZMEiegw

Vegetable Oil: https://geni.us/cRJ7

White Sugar: https://geni.us/UWud7AM

Brown Sugar: https://geni.us/oi01

White vinegar: https://geni.us/y0uABJ

Oyster Sauce: https://geni.us/WJ3uM5

Light Soy sauce: https://geni.us/58XAx

Dark Soy Sauce: https://geni.us/jp9Uc9

Sambal Oelek Chili Paste: https://geni.us/BiRG

Shaoxing Rice Wine: https://geni.us/ykU60vK

Sesame Oil: https://geni.us/CgcpNw

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Jason Farmer may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from amazon.com