Featured My MIL's Birthday...

[Gonna Smoke]

...was yesterday, 89 years old. One of her favorite foods is orange chicken so guess what was on the menu for last night?

Anyway, here's the recipe I mostly followed...

Orange Chicken Recipe {Panda Express Copycat} - TipBuzz

This Chinese Orange Chicken is made with crispy fried chicken coated in a sticky orange chicken sauce. Just like Panda Express but better!

tipbuzz.com

It called for boneless/skinless thighs, but Food Lion has regular thighs on sale for 99¢/lb. so I bought 2 family packs, which was 16 thighs, and boned them out myself. Besides, I like the skin and can leave it on...

Cut into bite size pieces...

Made a batter...
- 6 cups of AP flour
- 2 cups of corn starch
- 3 TBSP salt
- 2 TBSP black pepper
- 4 eggs
- 4 TBSP vegetable oil
- 5 cups of water

Combine all and whisk into a batter, I used a mixer. Add all the chicken and mix to ensure the pieces are coated all over. I put the bowl in the fridge until time to fry...

Next up was the orange sauce...
- Juice and zest from 6 oranges
- 8 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 2 cups Swerve brown sugar
- 8 garlic cloves minced

This was all put in a pot and brought to a simmer for a few minutes. I mixed 4 TBSP of corn starch into about ½ cup of water and added this to the pot to thicken the sauce.

Deep fried the chicken in batches...

When all was fried, I poured the orange sauce over the chicken and stirred to get it all coated.

Sides included stir fried rice and seared baby Bok choy...

For the Bok choy, I cut them in half and seared them on my griddle. I drizzled EVOO and put 3 cloves of minced garlic on. After just a minute, the Bok choy was put on cut side down. Leave it until it starts to sear and wilt. Then I flipped it over for just a minute or so to soften the other side. I made a soy molasses sauce which I drizzled over the Bok choy...
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 1 TBSP of sesame oil
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp honey

All mixed into a pot and brought to a slight simmer then drizzled over the Bok choy...

All is done including some eggrolls...

Time to eat...

 

[sandyut]

Well done Charles! Thats a very good lookin spread. I bet MIL was smiling.

 

[luvcatchingbass]

Very nice! I think it was on Guga Foods where they did some testing and used Tang in one of the orange chicken recipes. Either way this is something I need to put onto the menu at home.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Dang that looks good Charles! I like orange chicken.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Very nice! I think it was on Guga Foods where they did some testing and used Tang in one of the orange chicken recipes. Either way this is something I need to put onto the menu at home.

I guess I'm not too old to learn something. I watched most of the video and I have never heard about Tang being used. Maybe that's why mine isn't quite as orange colored...

Thank you...

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Well done Charles! Thats a very good lookin spread. I bet MIL was smiling.

Thank you Dave!! I didn't tell her ahead of time what I was cooking and you should've seen her face light up when she found out...

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Dang that looks good Charles! I like orange chicken.

Thank you Jim!

 

[SmokinEdge]

That’s outa the park. Looks incredibly delicious. Looks like you cut No corners. Great job and thanks for posting recipe and process. Happy B-Day MIL!

 

[jcam222]

Looks awesome Charles! You're a good SIL

 

[luvcatchingbass]

I guess I'm not too old to learn something. I watched most of the video and I have never heard about Tang being used. Maybe that's why mine isn't quite as orange colored...

Thank you...

I found it interesting I guess. I think he has also done some other Panda Express copycats as well like Bejing Beef (one of my favorites).
Still yours looks really good

 

[indaswamp]

Awesome cook Charles! Glad to see it got featured! I love orange chicken as well.

 

[DougE]

That looks fantastic, Charles!

I'd be all over a plate.

 

[JLinza]

I can hear my self getting fatter, just looking at the pictures
Great lookin meal Charles

 

[indaswamp]

That rice looks so good-you motivated me to make some Cajun yellow rice tonight with the left-over high protein rice I had in the refrigerator.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Awesome cook Charles! I bet she did love it... looks delicious!

Ryan

 

[Fueling Around]

You definitely spoil your family.
Congrats on the feature.

 

[gmc2003]

A meal like that will up your SIL standings Charles. Looks great.

Point for sure
Chris

 

[Jim_C]

A good looking plate. I like how you simplified the process. Good job.

 

[bmudd14474]

Awesome Job Charles

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Thank you to all for the compliments, they are greatly appreciated...