Easy Orange Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

For the Chicken:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Orange Sauce:

1/2 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed or store-bought)

Zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (adjust to taste)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

2 green onions, thinly sliced (for garnish)

Sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a shallow bowl, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the cornstarch in a separate shallow bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the beaten eggs, then coat evenly with cornstarch, shaking off any excess.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, and chili flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.

In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the saucepan, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes …