Description
Savory orange chicken delights palates with its perfect balance of tangy citrus and crispy chicken. Zesty marinade and caramelized sauce promise a memorable dining experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground chicken
- 5 tbsps sugar
- 5 tbsps white vinegar
- 4 tsps soy sauce
- 3 tbsps water (divided)
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp minced ginger root
- 2 tsps minced garlic
- ¼ tsp crushed hot red chili pepper
- Zest of ½ an orange
Instructions
- Sear Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and crumble ground chicken, cooking until golden and no longer pink, approximately 6-7 minutes.
- Infuse Aromatics: Fold in fresh ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes, stirring thoroughly to distribute spices evenly across the meat.
- Prepare Citrus Sauce: Whisk soy sauce, orange juice, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a separate bowl until harmoniously blended.
- Combine and Coat: Stream sauce into the skillet, stirring continuously to ensure complete meat coverage and prevent scorching.
- Thicken Glaze: Integrate cornstarch slurry into the mixture, allowing the sauce to transform into a rich, glossy consistency.
- Reduce and Rest: Simmer chicken for 2-3 minutes, letting the liquid concentrate and create a clingy sauce, then remove from heat and let settle for one minute.
- Plate and Garnish: Serve piping hot over steamed white rice or lo mein noodles, adorning with chopped green onions or sesame seeds for added texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- Optimize Meat Browning: Ensure skillet is hot enough to achieve golden-brown color without burning, which develops rich flavor complexity.
- Balance Spice Distribution: Thoroughly mix aromatics like ginger and garlic to prevent clumping and create even flavor throughout the chicken.
- Master Sauce Consistency: Whisk sauce ingredients completely to prevent separation and achieve smooth, glossy coating on the meat.
- Control Cornstarch Thickening: Add slurry gradually and stir constantly to prevent lumps and achieve perfect sauce texture without over-thickening.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg