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Panda Express
Orange Flavored Chicken |
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This one comes
from a fast-growing chain of take-out Chinese food
restaurants, which, in February, celebrated its 300th
store opening in Las Vegas, Nevada. As far as Chinese
food goes, I think the stuff they throw together in the
sizzling woks at this chain is surprisingly tasty. And
many of you seem to think so too; I've received many a
request for this dish. It's a twist on the traditional
sweet and sour chicken so commonly found at Chinese
restaurants over the years. However, this popular menu
item has a delicious, citrus-laced, tangy-sweet sauce
with a spicy nip the regulars find truly addictive. The
chain claims to cook all of its food in woks, including
the sauces. But this home-grown version will work fine --
whether you go for a wok, or not.
Sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced water chestnuts
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 rounded teaspoon chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
5 teaspoons corn starch
2 teaspoons arrowroot
Chicken
4 chicken breast fillets
1 cup ice water
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsifted cake flour
2-4 cups vegetable oil
1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients -- except the
corn starch and arrowroot -- in a small saucepan over
high heat. Stir often while bringing mixture to a boil.
When sauce reaches a boil, remove it from heat and allow
it to cool a bit, uncovered.
2. Slice chicken breasts into bite-size chunks. Remove
exactly 1 cup of the marinade from the pan and pour it
over the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or
other container which allows the chicken to be completely
covered with the marinade. Chicken should marinate for at
least a couple hours. Cover remaining sauce and leave it
to cool until the chicken is ready.
3. When chicken has marinated, preheat 2-inches of
vegetable oil in a wok or skillet to 350 degrees.
4. Combine corn starch with arrowroot in a small bowl,
then add 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until corn starch
and arrowroot have dissolved. Pour this mixture into the
sauce and set the pan over high heat. When sauce begins
to bubble and thickens cover and remove from heat.
5. Beat together the ice water and egg in a medium bowl.
Add baking soda and salt.
6. Add 3/4 cup of the flour and stir with a fork just
until the flour in blended into the mixture. The batter
should still be lumpy.
7. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of flour on top of the batter
and mix with only one or two strokes. Most of this flour
will still floating on top of the mixture. Put the
remaining flour (1/2 cup) into a medium bowl.
8. Dip each piece of chicken first into the flour, then
into the batter. Let some of the batter drip off and then
slide the chicken into the oil. Fry up to 1/2 of the
chicken pieces at a time for 3-4 minutes, or until golden
brown. Flip the chicken over halfway through the cooking
time. Remove the chicken to a rack or paper towels to
drain.
9. As the chicken cooks, reheat the sauce left covered on
the stove. Stir occasionally.
10. When all of the chicken is done, pour it into a large
bowl, and cover with the thickened sauce. Stir gently
until all of the pieces are well coated.
(http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)
Serves four.
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