Almost Take-out Orange Chicken

Unlike my last post...this recipe would not be placed in a low-fat category.  However, it is DELICIOUS!  I thought it would be fun to try my favorite Chinese take-out recipe at home so that my family had an eat-out night without the price or difficult choice of where to go.  I had a hankering for Chinese, a wok screaming to be brought out of the dark basement, and a recipe that seemed easy enough to follow (having everything prepped beforehand really helped, too).  Though I won't be making this very often, (I hate the smell of fried food in my house...outside of my house is acceptable, of course), it is a change from our normal meal "routine"!

Orange Chicken, Panda-Style
Courtesy of: Family Feasts for $75 a Week

Serves 6

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for frying
1/2 cup, plus 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Orange Chicken Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. water
Grate zest of 1 orange

Stir-fry
1 Tbsp. peeled and minced ginger (or 1 tsp powdered ginger)
1 tsp. minced garlic
Dash of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. sesame oil

1. Place cubed chicken in a large bowl.  Add egg, salt, black pepper, and 1 Tbsp. oil.  Mix well.  Stir together 1/2 cup cornstarch and flour in a large shallow bowl.  Add Chicken pieces, a handful or two at a time, and stir to coat evenly.  Tap off any excess.
2. Pour about 1 inch oil in a wok or deep, heavy skillet and heat to 375 degrees or until heat starts to ripple.  Add chicken pieces, a small handful at a time, and fry until golden and crisp, 3-4 mins.  Remove chicken and drain on paper towels.  Cook rest of chicken, keeping an eye on the oil temperature.  The heat may need to be turned down for the second batch of chicken to prevent burning.
3. Once all chicken is cooked, reserve a couple tablespoons of oil from pan in a seperate bowl.  Clean wok. (Very important...just wipe out with paper towel.)Combine sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup and whisk until sugar is dissolved.
4. Heat wok for 15 seconds over High heat.  Add reserved oil back into pan.  Add ginger, garlic, red pepper, and green onions; stir-fry 2-3 minutes.  Add sauce and bring to a boil.  Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed.  Combine remaining 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 1/4 cup water until smooth; add to skillet with orange sauce and chicken.  Heat until sauce is thickened; stir in sesame oil.  Serve with rice.