Orange Chicken

One of my goals in starting this blog was to share some of my favorite recipes (old and new). I LOVE to cook and even more so I LOVE to cook new things. I always warn Chance (if it is a new recipe) this could be really great or really disastrous so, be prepared. He then reminds me that he lived on a ship and ate food prepared by guys who were not good at anything else, not sure this makes me feel better about my cooking, but I suppose the thought helps. I try to make one new recipe a week, mixed in with the usual's/our favorites.  I am not super creative and come up with my own recipes, but I do some research online then read reviews and mix and match until I get a solid recipe that I think will be delicious.. and it usually works. At then end of most new meals I will say something like "next time I will add more this, or less that" but overall we have had success!

Where we live currently the closest restaurants are about a half hour away, and the really nice ones are about an hour and a half away. One of our favorite places to go is P.F. Chang's and since there is not one near by I thought I would try to make their version of orange chicken at home. It was very successful and tasted great!

So here is the recipe I found, I was sort of paranoid because there is not actually any orange in the sauce, but it was okay. The peel is enough to add the orange flavor. I halved the sauce recipe because it was just two of us and I was not making that much chicken. Next time I think I would just make the entire recipe because it is certainly a sauce that can be frozen and reheated. The chili sauce does make it a little spicier than I remember, so depending on the level of heat you like you can use more or less. It was fairly simple to make and took maybe 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Ingredients Sauce: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons minced garlic 4 green onions, sliced 1 cup tomato sauce 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Chicken: 1/2 cup vegetable oil 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 egg, beaten 1 cup milk 1 cup flour peel from 1/4 orange, julienned (into 1/8"-thick strips) cooked white or brown rice, to serve
Directions 1. Prepare the sauce: In medium saucepan, heat oil; add garlic and onions; do not let the garlic burn; add tomato sauce; bring to boil. 2. Add sugar, chili sauce and soy sauce; bring to boil; simmer 5 to 6 minutes or until sauce thickens; remove from heat. 3. Prepare chicken: In wok or large skillet, heat oil. Meanwhile cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. 4. In medium bowl combine egg and milk; mix well. Place flour in shallow dish. 5. Coat chicken pieces - first in the flour, then the egg wash and back into the flour. Cook in 2 or 3 batches until all chicken is cooked. 6. When chicken is done, remove oil and rinse out wok with water; reheat pan. When hot, add orange peel and chicken; heat through - about a minute - stirring gently. Add sauce; heat through. 7. Serve with white or brown rice. Serves 4