I made this the other night for the first time and it was SO yummy!!! My pickiest eater LOVED it!! It's absolutely delicious, with a tangy, fresh flavor! It was great leftover too!!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
BAKED ORANGE CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups cornstarch
4 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
Orange Sauce:
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Zest of 1 orange
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2) Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle the salt and pepper over the chicken pieces.
3) Add chicken pieces to a gallon sized Ziploc bag (or you can use a bowl) and add the cornstarch. Close the bag and shake to mix it together and coat the chicken pieces.
4) Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork.
5) Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
6) Take a handful of cornstarch coated chicken pieces and place in the egg. Coat both sides of each piece and place in the hot oil. Let cook for 2-3 minutes per side.
7) After frying, place chicken on a plate lined with a paper towel, then transfer to 9 x 13 dish.
8) Repeat steps 6 and 7 until all chicken pieces have been browned in the oil.
9) Combine all the ingredients for the orange sauce into a small bowl and stir with a whisk until mixed. Pour over the chicken and stir to coat all of the chicken pieces.
10) Bake uncovered for 1 hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes to make sure it stays coated in the sauce.
11) Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.
NOTES:
~Since many soy sauces aren't gluten free (they contain wheat), I used Liquid Aminos.
~When you fry the chicken pieces in the oil, you aren't cooking them through, you are just getting the outside brown and crispy.
~To test the oil for readiness, take a pinch of cornstarch and toss it in the oil. If it sizzles, it's ready.
~One recipe of the sauce makes enough to coat the chicken, but it's not super saucy and there is barely enough to put on the rice. I didn't mind it this way, but if you want extra sauce for the rice, I would double the sauce recipe.
~The recipe says to cook for an hour. I check the chicken by cutting a piece open after 30 minutes, and it was cooked through, so I took mine out at that point.
~I used a large naval orange for the zest. Whatever you use, just make sure you wash it before zesting!
