MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

     Title: Panda Express Orange Chicken
Categories: Poultry, Sauces, Citrus, Herbs, Chilies
     Yield: 6 Servings

 1 1/2 lb Chicken thighs; boned, skinned
   1/2 tb Salt
   1/2 ts Pepper
   1/2 c  Corn starch
 1 1/2 c  A-P flour
     1    Egg
 1 1/4 c  Sparkling water; cold
     1 tb Sesame oil
          Oil; for frying

MMMMM---------------------------SAUCE--------------------------------
     1 tb Oil
   1/2 ts Crushed red pepper flakes
     1 tb Garlic; minced
 1 1/2 ts Ginger; minced
     2 tb Sugar
     2 tb Light brown sugar
     2 tb Orange juice
     1 ts Orange zest
     2 tb Rice vinegar
     1 tb Soy sauce
     1 tb Water
     1 tb Corn starch

 Start by cutting the chicken into small, bite-size pieces about 1
 to 1-1/2" on a cutting board (here's why you should have a separate
 cutting board for chicken). Set aside.

 Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Then, beat
 in the egg, sparkling water and 1 tb of sesame oil until smooth.
 The mixture should resemble a thick pancake batter.

 Toss the chicken pieces in the batter until each piece is evenly
 coated. Cover, transfer to the refrigerator and let the chicken
 soak in the batter for at least 30 minutes.

 Tip: Resting the chicken in the batter is important because it
 allows the flour to properly hydrate, which helps the batter adhere
 better to the chicken and become perfectly crispy.

 Next, heat the oil to 350°F/175°C in a large wok or Dutch
 oven--between 1/2 and 1" of oil will be enough. Working in batches,
 add a few pieces of the battered chicken to the preheated oil.
 Cook, turning occasionally until the chicken is deeply golden on
 all sides and cooked through. Each batch should take about 5 to
 6 minutes.  Transfer the fried chicken pieces to a paper
 towel-lined sheet pan to drain excess oil.

 As your last batch of chicken cooks, start the sauce by warming
 1 tb of oil over medium-high heat. Add the red pepper flakes,
 garlic, and ginger, and cook until fragrant; about 30 seconds.

 Tip: Don't walk away during this step. If you accidentally burn
 your garlic (not at all the same as roasted garlic), toss
 everything and start fresh. Otherwise, your sauce will have a
 bitter flavor.

 Add the sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy
 sauce. Stir until the sugars dissolve, and the mixture begins to
 bubble.

 Finish the sauce by whisking together 1 tb of corn starch with 1 tb
 of water in a small bowl. Add it to the wok and whisk until smooth.
 Cook the sauce until it thickens and clings to the back of a spoon.

 Tip: Ideally, you're looking for a consistency like honey. If you
 accidentally thicken the sauce too much, you can thin it back out
 with a bit of orange juice, water, or chicken stock.

 Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and gently toss until
 every inch of the chicken is coated in the sweet and spicy orange
 sauce. Serve immediately to share this Panda Express goodness with
 your family!

 Recipe by Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

 Recipe FROM: https://www.tasteofhome.com

 Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

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