Orange Flavored Chicken

This recipe was inspired by my trip to Costco today. They were sampling Panda Express' Orange Chicken Sauce. It was good but lacking an actual Orange flavor. I have loved making America's Test Kitchen's Orange Flavored Chicken but it takes 2 hours to make and the chicken is deep fried, (something I try to avoid). So I came up with this version of Orange Flavored Chicken.

Orange Flavored Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinnless chicken breasts

3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 c. Orange juice, plus 1 1/2 tsp. grated zest, and 8 strips orange peel, each about 2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide) from 2 oranges.
6 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. packed dark brown sugar
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 piece fresh ginger, grated (about 1 inch piece or 1 Tbsp.)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (if you don't like heat, don't use this much)
8 small whole dried red chilies (optional)

1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. corn starch
2 Tbsp. cold water


Place chicken in 1 gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. Combine chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne in large saucepan with at least 3 quart capacity; whisk until sugar is fully dissolved.
Measure out 3/4 cup mixture and pour into bag with chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes, but no longer.

Bring remaining mixture in saucepan to a boil over high heat. In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water; whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucdent, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in orange peel and chilies. Sauce should measure 1 1/2 cups. Set sauce aside.

Grill marinated chicken over medium high temperature until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes each side. Let chicken sit for about 5-10 minutes. While chicken is sitting, reheat the sauce over medum low heat until warm. Cut chicken into strips and add to the sauce. Stir and serve over rice. You can remove the orange peel and chilies before serving if you would like.

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen