Mandarin Chicken

Mandarin Chicken

This yummy Chinese dish most probably takes its name from Oranges, a variety of which is called Mandarin. In this dish, chicken chunks are fried crisp (or grilled is you want) and are served in sweet and savoury orange brown sauce. I served it with fine chopped spring onion greens and roasted sesame seeds.

These days, owing to winter season (season of Oranges in Pakistan), I'm obsessed with oranges, and have been drinking them, eating then, baking them (in my previously posted Orange Cake) and now cooked them too. 

Recipe

Ingredients:

For chicken marinade:

• Chicken breasts cut into long strips (or cubes)
• ½ tsp salt                               
• ½ tsp pepper                  
• 1 tsp garlic powder

For chicken batter:

• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup corn-flour
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Water, enough quantity to make a thick batter
• Oil, for deep frying

For sauce:

• 1 garlic clove, chopped finely
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup orange juice
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp corn-flour, dissolved in a little water
• 2 spring onion greens, finely chopped
• 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds

Method:

• Marinate chicken in marinade ingredients for 15-30 minutes (or longer if desired)

• Make chicken batter by mixing batter ingredients.

• Batter should be thick enough to coat chicken strips properly. You can test the consistency by dipping your finger in the mixture; it should cover your finger and drip a bit.

• Dip marinated chicken pieces in the batter and deep fry till golden. 

• These will be very crispy chicken strips.

• While chicken pieces are being fried, you can start preparing the sauce.
• In a little vegetable oil, fry chopped garlic and add in crushed chili flakes.
• Add ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, chicken stock, brown sugar, salt & pepper and bring the mixture to boil on medium high heat.

• Stir in orange juice.
• Add corn-flour mixture and stir the sauce till it’s thickened and transparent.
• Add in fried chicken strips.
• Serve in a bowl or platter and sprinkle with chopped spring onion greens and roasted sesame seeds.

~ Bon Appétit!