Diced Chicken with Orange Flavor

Chicken

This is really spicy; you may want to adjust the amount of chile peppers and/or peppercorns.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound boneless chicken (breasts or legs and thighs)
  • Marinade:
  • 1/2 egg white (1 tablespoon)
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 thick skinned navel orange
  • 10 dried hot red peppers (1 1/2-inch length)
  • 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
  • 1 scallion
  • 2 thin slices fresh ginger
  • Seasoning Sauce:
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice (reserved from the orange)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
  • 4 tablespoons peanut or corn oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

Cut chicken in 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes. Put in mixing bowl. Add egg white, soy sauce, wine and salt. Toss well. Add the cornstarch; mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Cut orange in half; reserve 2 tablespoons orange juice. Scrape out and discard pulp, then cut rind into 1 1/2-inch triangles. Wipe chile peppers with a damp paper towel; set aside separately from the orange peel. Add peppercorns to the chiles.
Trim and slice scallion into 1/2-inch lengths. Chop ginger coarsely; set scallions and ginger aside.
Combine seasoning sauce ingredients in a small bowl;set aside.
Have oils ready; do not combine
Heat a wok over highest heat. Swirl in the 4 tablespoons peanut oil, then add the orange peel. Stir-fry until it begins to brown at the edges. Add the chili peppers and peppercorns and stir-fry until both are dark brown and the orange peel is attractively charred, not entirely black, about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to a rack, leaving the oil.
Reheat the oil over highest heat. Add the ginger and let it sizzle a few seconds, then add the chicken cubes. Stir-fry until the chicken turns opaque, 30 to 45 seconds for breast meat or 1 to 1 1/2 minutes for legs and thighs. Then add the scallions and return the orange peel, chiles and peppercorns. Give the mixture several quick stirs, about 10 seconds.
Add the seasoning sauce, stirring about 15 seconds until piping hot and the sauce clings to the chicken. Turn out onto a small serving platter and splash on the sesame oil. Serve at once



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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: The Chinese Restaurant Cookbook
Submitted By: Joy Bowers
joybow@mtaonline.net
Diced Chicken with Orange Flavor