Orange Chicken

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cornstarch

4 egg whites

4 boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup orange juice (I used Simply Orange)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 packed tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Dash salt

Dash crushed red pepper

1 clove garlic, pressed

A little grated or minced ginger

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying

Directions

For the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and egg whites with a fork until almost frothy, about 1 minute. Add the chicken to the mixture and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

For the sauce: Meanwhile, put the orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, crushed red pepper, garlic and ginger in a small nonstick skillet and whisk. Heat until bubbling and starting to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch slurry to the sauce. Mix in and thicken for 1 minute.

Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. Carefully drop the chicken into the oil and move it around, flipping gently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Let the pieces drain on a plate lined with paper towels for 2 to 3 minutes. Then drop them back into the oil for 1 minute to really solidify the coating.

Toss the chicken in the sauce and serve.

Nutrition

• Calories: 878
• Total Fat: 75g
• Saturated Fat: 16g
• Cholesterol: 189mg
• Sodium: 462mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 15g
• Dietary Fiber: 0g
• Total Sugars: 6g
• Protein: 36g