Extra Crispy Orange Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 pound Boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1‑inch chunks)
• 30 grams Soy sauce (low‑sodium preferred)
• 30 grams Mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 3 grams Cornstarch (marinade)
• 4 grams Baking soda (marinade)
• 400 grams All‑purpose flour
• 15 grams Salt
• 6 grams Baking soda (dry breading)
• 400 grams Cornstarch (dry breading)
• 200 ml Water (for loose pancake‑style batter)
• 2 quarts Neutral oil (e.g., canola or vegetable) (for deep‑frying, 300‑350°F)
• 10 grams Garlic (grated)
• 10 grams Ginger (grated)
• 20 grams Scallions (green onions) (white and light green parts only, thinly sliced)
• 125 grams Chicken stock
• 75 grams Mirin (sauce)
• 50 grams Soy sauce (sauce)
• 10 grams Sesame oil
• 50 grams Sugar
• 25 grams Rice vinegar
• 1 Large orange (zest and juice (about 60 ml juice))
• 7 grams Cornstarch (sauce slurry) (divided: 5 g initially, 2 g later if needed)
• 1 pinch Crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
• 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds (for garnish)
• 2 cups White rice (cooked, for serving)

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken

   Trim any excess fat, then slice the chicken breasts into 2‑3 inch strips, turn 90°, and dice into roughly 1‑inch cubes.

   Time: PT10M

2. Marinate the chicken

   In a bowl combine 30 g soy sauce, 30 g mirin, 3 g cornstarch and 4 g baking soda. Stir to dissolve, add the chicken pieces, toss to coat, and let sit for 20 minutes.

   Time: PT25M

3. Prepare the dry breading mix

   In a large bowl whisk together 400 g all‑purpose flour, 15 g salt, 6 g baking soda and 400 g cornstarch until fully combined.

   Time: PT5M

4. Make the wet batter

   Take about a quarter of the dry mixture, place in a second bowl, and whisk in enough water (≈200 ml) to form a loose pancake‑like batter.

   Time: PT3M

5. Create the crumb slurry

   Add a rough quarter‑cup of the remaining dry mixture into the batter and stir until it looks like wet gravel.

   Time: PT2M

6. Coat the chicken

   Place the marinated chicken in a bowl of plain flour (≈3 cups) and toss to dust lightly, shaking off excess. Transfer to the wet batter, coat evenly, then roll in the dry crumb mixture using a slotted spoon, breaking any clumps.

   Time: PT10M

7. Heat oil to 300°F (low fry)

   Fill the heavy‑bottom pot with 2 quarts neutral oil, heat over medium‑high until the oil reaches 300°F (use a thermometer).

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 300°F

8. First fry (low temperature)

   Using the spider, lower the coated chicken pieces into the oil, spreading them out. Fry for 4‑5 minutes until the coating sets and turns pale‑golden.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 300°F

9. Raise oil temperature and rest chicken

   Remove the chicken with the spider onto a wire rack. Increase the oil heat to 350°F (about 2‑3 minutes).

   Time: PT4M

   Temperature: 350°F

10. Second fry (high temperature)

    Return the chicken to the 350°F oil and fry for about 90 seconds until deep golden and very crisp.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: 350°F

11. Keep chicken warm

    Transfer the fried nuggets to a low oven (≈200°F) on a sheet tray while you finish the sauce.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 200°F

12. Sauté aromatics for sauce

    In a large non‑stick pan, heat 30 g neutral oil over medium‑high. Add 10 g grated garlic, 10 g grated ginger, and 20 g sliced scallion whites. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.

    Time: PT1M

13. Build and reduce the sauce

    Add 125 g chicken stock, 75 g mirin, 50 g soy sauce, 10 g sesame oil, 50 g sugar, 25 g rice vinegar, orange zest (from 1 orange) and the orange juice. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, about 2 minutes.

    Time: PT2M

14. Thicken the sauce

    Stir in 5 g cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with a little cold water). Simmer 1 minute. If the sauce is still thin, add another 2 g cornstarch slurry and cook briefly.

    Time: PT1M

15. Combine chicken and sauce

    Turn off the heat. Add the fried chicken nuggets to the pan, toss quickly to coat evenly without breaking the crust.

    Time: PT2M

16. Plate and garnish

    Serve the orange‑chicken over steamed white rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and a pinch of red‑pepper flakes.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

800

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

60 g

Fat

35 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Chicken thighs
• Instead of Soy sauce: Tamari
• Instead of Mirin: Rice vinegar + 1 tsp sugar
• Instead of Cornstarch (marinade): Potato starch
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: Gluten‑free flour blend
• Instead of Cornstarch (dry breading): Potato starch
• Instead of Neutral oil (e.g., canola or vegetable): Peanut oil, Sunflower oil
• Instead of Chicken stock: Low‑sodium broth
• Instead of Mirin (sauce): Rice vinegar + sugar
• Instead of Soy sauce (sauce): Tamari
• Instead of Sesame oil: Peanut oil (smaller amount)
• Instead of Sugar: Honey (reduce amount)
• Instead of Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar (slightly different flavor)
• Instead of Large orange: Mandarin orange (adjust zest)
• Instead of Cornstarch (sauce slurry): Potato starch
• Instead of Crushed red pepper flakes: Sichuan pepper
• Instead of White rice: Jasmine rice, brown rice

Equipment Needed

• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Kitchen scale
• Mixing bowls (at least 3)
• Whisk
• Measuring spoons
• Heavy‑bottom pot (2‑3 qt)
• Spider strainer
• Wire rack
• Baking sheet or tray
• Non‑stick pan
• Microplane grater
• Citrus juicer or reamer
• Slotted spoon
• Tongs (optional)
• Oven

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Marinating the chicken with baking soda
• Creating the wet batter and crumb slurry
• Maintaining precise oil temperatures (300°F then 350°F)
• Double‑frying for extra crispness
• Reducing the orange sauce to the right thickness
• Tossing the chicken quickly to coat without breaking the crust

Chef Tips from the Video

• Baking soda in the marinade raises pH, keeping chicken juicy.
• Using half flour, half cornstarch in the dry mix yields a lighter, less oily crust.
• The crumb slurry creates tiny crunchy “crags” that give texture.
• A quick 90‑second high‑heat fry dehydrates the crust for ultimate crunch.
• Zest the orange before juicing; a little zest goes a long way.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Re‑heat in a hot oven (350°F) to regain crispness.

Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken separate from sauce for up to 2 months. Re‑heat by baking directly from frozen.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Marinate the chicken up to 4 hours ahead; keep refrigerated.
• Prepare the dry breading and batter a day before and store in sealed containers.
• Sauce can be made 2 hours ahead; reheat gently before tossing.