Sunday supper: Panda Express Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken

Serves 6.

This orange chicken recipe really does taste like the popular Panda Express dish and is comfort food at its best, but made with simple ingredients right at home. Tender chicken in tangy sauce beats restaurant takeout any day. From "Favorite Family Recipes: Most Requested Copy Cat Dishes" (Shadow Mountain, 2024).

For the chicken:

• 2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 c. cornstarch
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Orange Sauce:

• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 ¼ c. water, divided
• 2 tbsp. fresh orange juice
• ¼ c. fresh lemon juice
• ⅓ c. rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. orange zest
• 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger root
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 tbsp. chopped green onion, plus more for garnish
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Rice, for serving

Directions

For the chicken: Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Combine cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Dip chicken in beaten egg. Shake chicken in cornstarch mixture to coat.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or wok to 375 degrees. Deep-fry chicken in batches until completely cooked. Remove to drain on paper towels.

For the orange sauce: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with ¼ cup water and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

In a large saucepan combine remaining 1 cup water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk ingredients together over medium heat for a few minutes.

Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, garlic and green onion. Bring to a boil. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens.

Place fried chicken in a large bowl and pour sauce over the top. Fold the sauce into the chicken or toss gently to coat. If desired, add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onion. Serve over rice.