Orange Fried Chicken (American style)

Ingredients

• 500 g Boneless chicken thighs (Cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1 Egg (Lightly beaten)
• 1 c. à café Salt
• ½ c. à café Ground black pepper
• 4 c. à soupe Cornstarch (maïzena) (3‑4 c. à soupe for coating, 1 c. à café to thicken the sauce)
• 1 botte Chives (Thinly sliced)
• 1 Garlic clove (Minced)
• 1 cm Fresh ginger (Cut into brunoise)
• 2 Dried chili (Crushed)
• 2 Oranges (Juice + zest (zest finely julienned))
• 2 c. à soupe White sugar
• 2 c. à soupe Rice vinegar
• 2 c. à soupe Soy sauce
• 2 c. à soupe Sweet chili sauce
• 500 ml Vegetable oil for frying (Preferably peanut or sunflower oil)
• 1 c. à soupe Cooking oil (for the sauce)

Instructions

1. Debone and cut the chicken

   Remove the bones from the thighs by following the bone line, remove cartilage, then cut each piece in half lengthwise and finally into four across to obtain medium‑sized bites.

   Time: PT10M

2. Prepare the coating

   In a bowl, mix the cut chicken with salt, pepper, beaten egg and 3 to 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Coat each piece well.

   Time: PT5M

3. Prepare aromatics and zest

   Thinly slice the chives, mince the garlic, cut the ginger into brunoise, crush the dried chili and pick the zest of one orange in fine juliennes, removing the white part.

   Time: PT5M

4. Prepare the orange sauce

   In a bowl, combine the juice of two oranges, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sweet chili sauce until the sugar dissolves.

   Time: PT5M

5. Heat the oil

   Heat the vegetable oil in the pot to 180°C. Use a thermometer or test with a small piece of chicken that should sizzle immediately.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

6. Fry the chicken

   Drop the coated chicken pieces into the hot oil and fry 7 to 8 minutes until golden and crispy.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Drain the chicken

   Transfer the fried chicken onto a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.

   Time: PT2M

8. Make the sauce

   In the wok, heat 1 tablespoon of oil, add garlic, ginger and dried chili, sauté for 20 seconds. Pour in the orange juice mixture, add the zest, let simmer 3 to 4 minutes. Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water, incorporate to thicken the sauce.

   Time: PT4M

9. Combine chicken with sauce

   Add the fried chicken to the sauce, stir quickly to coat each piece.

   Time: PT2M

10. Plating

    Arrange the chicken on a serving platter, sprinkle with chive slices and serve hot.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Boneless chicken thighs: Chicken breasts, Turkey cutlets, Firm tofu
• Instead of Egg: Plant milk + starch, Aquafaba
• Instead of Cornstarch (maïzena): Potato starch, Rice flour
• Instead of Chives: Green onions
• Instead of Fresh ginger: Ground ginger (½ c. à café)
• Instead of Dried chili: Chili flakes
• Instead of Oranges: Bottled orange juice + candied orange zest
• Instead of White sugar: Cane sugar, Honey (½ c. à soupe)
• Instead of Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Soy sauce: Tamari (gluten‑free)
• Instead of Sweet chili sauce: Sriracha + honey (1 c. à soupe + 1 c. à café)
• Instead of Vegetable oil for frying: Canola oil

Equipment Needed

• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Measuring spoon (c. à soupe)
• Zester or fine grater
• Pot or deep fryer
• Wok or large skillet
• Spatula or slotted spoon
• Kitchen thermometer (optional)
• Small saucepan for the sauce
• Serving plate

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Properly debone the chicken to avoid bone pieces.
• Maintain oil at 180°C to achieve crispy chicken.
• Do not overload the pot during frying.
• Thicken the sauce with the correct proportion of starch and water.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use freshly squeezed orange juice for a brighter flavor.
• Add a pinch of toasted sesame seeds just before serving.
• For more depth, incorporate 1 tsp hoisin sauce into the sauce.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven to retain crispness.

Freezer: Fried chicken freezes for 1 to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator then reheat in the oven.

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

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the orange sauce the day before and keep it refrigerated.
• The chicken can be coated and kept chilled for 2 hours before frying.