Chinese-Style Blood Orange Chicken
We’re eating spicy Chinese-style blood orange chicken served with steamed rice and garnished with green onions.
Apparently I need a serious vacation to get over my vacation! We’re back from paradise but I’m still not really feeling this whole “work” thing, if you know what I mean! 😉 Alas, I do believe I made some promises back in in March or April that I would start updating WWE at least three times a week. I still fully plan for that to be the case, although I’m slow getting started with it.
This dish is one I whipped up over the winter when local blood oranges were in season and I was craving Chinese food without leaving the house. Likely you won’t be able to find blood oranges in the markets since it’s the middle of May but you can always substitute any freshly squeezed ripe orange juice and zest in the recipe.
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1" pieces
2 tsp oil
1 to 8 dried chile de arbol, seeds and stems removed (vary depending on how spicy you like it)
zest from 1 blood orange
4 cloves garlic, minced
1" piece of ginger, peeled and minced
For the Sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup blood orange juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp packed brown sugar
Batter:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 egg
1/2 cup water
Oil, for deep frying
steamed rice
green onions, for garnish
Heat oil to 350 degrees for deep frying.
Place the dried chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water for 20 minutes to partially rehydrate. Drain and set aside.
Whisk together all ingredients for the batter until completely incorporated. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, dissolve the cornstarch for the sauce in 1 tbsp of the blood orange juice until fully dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce to the mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Season chicken cubes with kosher salt then place in the batter. Toss to completely coat all pieces of chicken with batter.
Working in batches so that the oil temperature does not drop too low, deep fry the chicken until golden brown and just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat the frying process with the rest of the chicken, continuing to work in batches.
Once all the chicken has been fried, place a large saute pan or wok over high heat. Add two tsp of oil to the pan. Heat until just before the oil beginning to smoke. Add the rehydrated chiles, garlic, ginger and orange zest to the pan. Stir-fry quickly over high heat for about 30 seconds. Add the sauce to the pan, stirring constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately with steamed rice and sliced green onions to garnish.
Hi gang,
Love your site, succulent recipes….well written..love the pictures! Just added you to my bookmarks… I will be back often! Thanks for all the hard work!
Aren’t great food blogs the best?!*!*!
Cheers
I generally greatly approve of this website, with many of its tantalizing and delectable treats. However, as an Asian woman living in Hong Kong, I find it rather irksome that the concoction of blood-orange chicken is listed at “Chinese-Style”. I know that in the US there are many strange dishes that have been adapted for American taste buds, but please don’t call these dishes “Chinese” on your website as you have a great international audience and although I will still be a devout follower, others may not be. You may think that I’m being ultra PC, but we take our food very seriously here: it’s an innate part of our heritage and culture.
As usual, this recipe looks phenomenal. Your photography is top-notch and your recipes are amazing. Thanks for the excellent blog!
Freakin’ YUM! Looks pretty good. I’m all over the blood orange idea.
Vacation when you return from vacation is normal, right? That happens to me all the time 🙂
To put things in perspective, the grocery store in Grand Isle doesn’t have Sriracha.
This sounds like an incredible flavor combination! I love anything with blood oranges! {I’m with Lori YUM!)
i like to put food in my mouth
tried this recipe & it was great. Thank you!
Thank you for identifying the recipe as “Chinese Style.” I knew immediately what you were trying to convey in the title. Frankly, “Mystery Orange Chicken” just doesn’t sound as tasty.
That is one good looking picture. Its all about the food at the end of the day and I’m down for some of that chicken.