Chinese Take Out Night

It's nice to take a break from turkey leftovers and eat something different, like Chinese food.  Once again, Pioneer Woman has inspired me this past Saturday in her show.  She made these two dishes, Orange Chicken and Chow Mein and now it's my turn :)

Orange Chicken
Vegetable or Peanut Oil for frying
5 boneless Chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
4 whole Egg whites
2 tbsps. Cornstarch
Sauce:
1/2 cups Orange Juice
1 tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 tbsp. packed Brown Sugar (white sugar or honey will work too)
1 tbsp. Rice Vinegar (or regular distilled vinegar)
1/4 tsp. Sesame Seed oil
Dash of Salt
Dash of Crushed Red Pepper flakes, more to taste
1 clove Garlic,, minced
2 tsps. fresh Ginger, minced

Zest of 1 Orange
1 tsp. Cornstarch (additional)
1/4 cups water
2 Green Onions, sliced

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute.

Add the chicken to the mixture and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

For the sauce:

In the meantime, put the orange juice, soy sauce in a non-stick skillet.

Add the brown sugar

Add the rice vinegar and sesame oil

add the crushed red pepper

add the garlic and the ginger

Finally, add the orange zest.  Combine together and heat until bubbling and starting to thicken, about 3-4 minutes.

In a small bowl whisk together the 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp. cornstarch.  Stir into sauce and allow to simmer about 1-2 minutes until sauce has thickened.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat about 2 inches of the oil in a heavy bottomed pot until  a deep fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F.

In batches, carefully drop a few pieces of chicken into the oil (drop them in one by one to keep them from sticking to each other) and move around, 2-3 minutes or until a light golden brown.

All the pieces to drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Per the Pioneer Woman, she returns the chicken to the hot oil in the pan for fry for another minute.  This is supposed to solidify the coating and make more crunchy.  I didn't do it, I just couldn't.

Once all the chicken pieces are done, toss them into the sauce.

Make sure each piece covered completely in the sauce.  Set aside and keep warm.

CHOW MEIN
8 oz. Chinese noodles
1 tbsp. Peanut oil
1 Carrot, julienned
1 head napa cabbage, sliced thin
1/2 Onion, sliced
1/4 cup low sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Sesame Seed oil
Sliced Green onions for topping

 Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles according to package directions

Drain and run under cold water to remove the starchiness then set aside

Heat a wok or a skillet over medium high heat and add the peanut oil.  Add the carrots and onion.  Stir fry for 2-3 minutes

Stir for another 2 minutes.  (Sorry for this fuzzy picture - the steam made it difficult for my camera to focus)  See how much the cabbage shrinks down?

Add the soy sauce and broth

add the Sesame Seed oil.  Stir it all together

Toss in the noodles

 Combine completely

Top with Green onions

 Serve with Orange Chicken and there you have it, homemade Chinese Take Out food.  Thanks Pioneer Woman!!

You might need to make more just in case your neighbors accidentally mistake your house for a Chinese restaurant.  The aromas coming from the kitchen are out of this world!!

Enjoy!

Until next time,