Name: Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 1 recipe
Ingredients: 2 cups flour; 1/2 cup or 2/3 cup cornstarch; 2 tsp kosher salt; white pepper; 1 egg; water; 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces chicken thigh; oil; a little bit sesame oil; ginger; 2 cloves garlic; a little bit crushed red pepper; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup orange juice; vinegar; soy sauce; orange zest; cornstarch; Rice (quantity not stated in source)

Method

12 steps

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs, leaving some small bits for crunch, and cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and white pepper.
Add egg and water to the dry ingredients, then stir in oil and mix until the batter is thin and fluffy.
Add chicken pieces to the batter, cover, and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
For the sauce, heat a little oil and sesame oil in a pan.
Add ginger and garlic to the heating oil and cook until fragrant.
Add crushed red pepper, brown sugar, white sugar, orange juice, vinegar, and soy sauce.
Stir and cook until sugar dissolves and the sauce slightly thickens.
Mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then add to the sauce and cook until it thickens further.
Heat oil. Fry battered chicken in batches for 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown.
Toss fried chicken in the sauce until well coated.
Serve over plain rice and sprinkle with green onion, or mix with chopped Asian style salad and roll in a wrap.