Orange Chicken With Scallions

The economy is so bad that even pretty cheap Chinese takeout food has become a luxury. And since January is the month when we all look at the scale and gasp, it's also not a great time to indulge in delicious but fattening crispy Orange Chicken.The good news about this recipe from the latest annual cookbook from Fine Cooking is that it replicates the takeout version really well. Serve it over rice and you've got a quick, affordable family meal...

Yield:

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. 1 large navel orange
2. 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
3. 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4. 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
5. 1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6. 2 pounds chicken thighs or boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes (skin removed)
7. 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
8. 2 extra-large egg whites
9. 1⁄3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
10. 4 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
11. 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (keep whites and greens separate)

Directions

1. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zest from the orange in long, wide strips. If necessary, remove any large patches of bitter white pith from the zest strips with a paring knife. Juice the orange into a small bowl and mix with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes.
2. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt. In a mini chopper or food processor, process the egg whites, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt until smooth. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch batter.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or large stir-fry pan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Using tongs, transfer about half the chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, flipping every minute or so, until the chicken browns and crisps all over and is firm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes. With clean tongs, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and repeat the cooking process with the remaining chicken; transfer to the plate.
4. Put the orange zest strips in the skillet and cook, stirring, until they darken in spots, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir the orange juice mixture and add it to the pan. Let it boil for about 10 seconds and then add the chicken and the scallion whites. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce reduces to a glaze and the chicken is just cooked through—check by cutting into a thicker piece—1 to 2 minutes. If the chicken isn’t cooked through but the glaze is cooking away, add a couple tablespoons of water and continue cooking. Serve sprinkled with the scallion greens.

Notes