Papa TeaPapa Tea's Orange Chicken

Directions

  1. 1Trim off fat from chicken and slice into 1/4 inch pieces.
  2. 2Season chicken with salt, white pepper, and garlic powder.
  3. 3Set aside seasoned chicken and marinade for at least 30 minutes.
  4. 4In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and water.
  5. 5Whisk the batter ingredients together until smooth and thick.
  6. 6Add marinated chicken to the batter and mix well until evenly coated.
  7. 7In a separate bowl, mix together water, orange juice, orange concentrate, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce.
  8. 8In a large wok, heat oil to 350°F.
  9. 9Fry battered chicken for 3-4 minutes or until the batter is firm and pale beige.
  10. 10Remove chicken from oil and strain; let it cool.
  11. 11When ready to cook, fry the par-fried chicken for another 2-3 minutes at 400°F or until lightly golden.
  12. 12In a pan, heat as much sauce mixture as needed.
  13. 13Once the sauce is boiling, add cornstarch slurry to thicken.
  14. 14Add the double-fried chicken pieces to the thickened sauce, toss well until evenly coated, and serve hot.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs chicken thigh, boneless, skinless
  • 0.5 tbsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tbsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp White pepper
  • 0.75 cup corn starch
  • 0.25 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 0.66 cup water
  • 0.5 cup water
  • 0.5 cup orange juice
  • 0.33 cup Orange concentrate
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 0.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 drops yellow food coloring
  • 1 drop red food coloring
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • Frying oil

Equipment

large bowlwokpan

Tips

  • Double fry the chicken to ensure it remains crispy even when covered in sauce.
  • The batter ingredients (corn starch, all-purpose flour, baking powder) are non-negotiable for a flaky and crispy batter.
  • Using orange juice and orange concentrate provides an authentic orangey taste.
  • Par-fried chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.