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.

Add the fried chicken pieces to the saucepan and toss to coat evenly in the orange sauce.

Remove the pan from the heat and garnish the Orange Chicken with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Serve the Orange Chicken hot, with steamed rice or your favorite side dishes.