Orange Chicken Ii

Skip the takeout. This orange chicken uses real shredded orange peel, fresh ginger, and dried red peppers stir-fried in a blazing hot wok for an authentic Sichuan-style dish that’s nothing like the sticky-sweet mall food court version.

The chicken marinates for 30 minutes in soy sauce, ginger, and salt, then gets stir-fried fast over high heat until the pieces are white and firm. They come out of the wok while the aromatics go in. Dried peppers fry until dark red, then the orange peel, green onion, and minced ginger hit the oil and bloom their fragrance in about a minute.

The sauce is light: cornstarch, rice wine, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. It coats the chicken without drowning it, and the orange peel gives it a sharp, bitter citrus edge that balances the sweetness.

Chef Tips

• Shred the orange peel thinly and use only the colored part. The white pith underneath is intensely bitter and will overpower the dish.
• Get the wok screaming hot before adding oil. A properly heated wok sears the chicken instead of steaming it, giving you firm, slightly charred pieces.
• Wipe the wok clean between cooking the chicken and the aromatics. Residue from the chicken will burn and add bitterness.
• Fry the dried peppers until they darken but pull them before they blacken. Burnt dried peppers taste acrid, not spicy.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of Sichuan peppercorns with the dried peppers for a numbing, tingly heat.
• Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for juicier, more forgiving meat that doesn’t dry out as fast.
• Serve over steamed jasmine rice or fried rice to soak up the sauce.