This is one of my husband and son’s favorite dishes. It is so simple to make, but would stand up against any orange chicken out there. Seriously! For you vegetarians and vegans, you can use mushrooms instead of chicken and omit the buttermilk. I hope you will give this recipe a try. You will NOT be disappointed.
You will need:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (can use thighs as well) cut into bite size pieces
buttermilk to cover the chicken
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of cornstarch
salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each)
oil for frying (peanut, grape seed or your favorite oil)
1 cup of orange juice (freshly squeezed is my jam)
3/4 cups of sugar
3/4 cups of white vinegar or rice vinegar
3 – 5 tablespoons of coconut aminos (can use soy sauce)
1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger, chopped finely
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes (1/2 teaspoon for less heat)
the zest from one orange
1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
For the Chicken:
Place your chicken in a bowl and cover with the buttermilk. Set aside while you prep your dredge. In a shallow dish, mix the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken into the flour mixture and coat evenly. Heat a heavy frying pan (my favorite is cast iron) over medium high heat. Add enough oil to come half way up the pan. Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken in batches and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat until all of the chicken is done.
For the sauce:
Put all of the ingredients, except for the cornstarch mixture and orange zest, into a sauce pan and heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cornstarch and continue to cook until the mixture is thickened. Remove from the heat and add the orange zest. Toss the chicken into the sauce to coat and serve over rice.
#yumola