“Chickity China, the Chinese chicken. You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin’.” This crispy chicken tempura is oven-fried and tossed in a sticky sweet ‘n spicy orange sauce. So scrumptious, it will give your local Chinese takeout place a run for its money. Plus, the use of plastic bags chicken allows you to not only have more evenly-coated chicken, but also far less cleanup and a more sanitary workspace.

Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot…

My New Year’s tradition has recently become making a butt-load of homemade Chinese food. This Crispy Chinese Chicken with Orange Sauce is one of my go-to recipes.

As we approach the end of yet another banger year, I’d be remiss if I didn’t reference the traditional New Year’s tune: “Auld Lang Syne.” Which, always brings to my mind Billy Crystal’s hilarious rant at the end of one of my favorite movies: “When Harry Met Sally.” If you’ve never seen it, first of all, you should. Secondly, my brief synopsis would be as follows: Two people meet, & don’t like one another very much; they meet again, & become best friends; and somewhere throughout that friendship (spoiler alert) they fall in love; with many hilarious quips, and oh-so-quotable scenes in-between.

Harry: “What does this song mean? My whole life, I don’t know what this song means. I mean, ‘Should old acquaintance be forgot’? Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot?”
Sally: “Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something. Anyway, it’s about old friends.”

When Harry Met Sally, Nora Ephron

And Never Brought to Mind?

In case you were wondering, the phrase: “Auld Lang Syne,” literally translates to: “Old Long Since,” or “The Good Old Times.” According to Reader’s Digest (that’s right, I dug deep on the research for this one), the 1788 Scottish poem by Robert Burns is meant to be about toasting and drinking to days gone by. In that case, it certainly agrees with the philosophy of Sauced, and my philosophy for life, in general.

We’ll Drink a Cup of Kindness Yet…

This song also brings to my mind the final scene in the legendary movie: “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I cannot watch it without getting a bit teary-eyed, no matter how many times I have seen it. Who hasn’t wondered if they truly make a difference in this world? If their presence here on earth matters? I think it’s common for that type of self-reflection, especially around the ending of one year and the beginning of a new one.

For the Sake of Auld Lang Syne

Frank Capra’s iconic film teaches us that we do matter; or at least, George Bailey does. The things we do and say, the actions we take or don’t take, they matter; and they may have more of an impact on others than we could ever anticipate. What’s that old saying about a butterfly? It’s actually an old Chinese proverb (perfectly referenced in this blog for Crispy Chinese Chicken, so you’re welcome): “The flapping of the wings of a butterfly can be felt on the other side of the world.” Hence, the origin for the phrase: “butterfly effect.” It’s something to keep in mind, as we near the ending of one era and the beginning of yet another New Year: What we do today, and everyday, matters.

Crispy Chinese Chicken Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 9 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp. sesame oil

Crispy Chinese Chicken Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk together the EVOO and sesame oil in a small bowl. Pour half of the mixture onto a large cookie sheet with sides. Reserve the other half for later.
2. Cut chicken breasts into cubes. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Beat the eggs with the milk and pour into a large, self-sealing plastic bag (i.e. Ziploc bag). Place the cubed chicken into bag with the beaten eggs and seal tightly. Shake and squeeze until chicken is completely immersed in the egg/milk mixture.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and remaining ingredients (spices) until well-mixed. Pour the flour mixture into the bag with the chicken and beaten eggs and shake well, until the chicken is evenly coated in the DIY tempura batter.
5. Dump the coated chicken onto the oil-coated cookie sheet. Separate the chicken cubes as needed, allowing space between (to ensure that they cook thoroughly on all sides).
6. Pour the remaining EVOO and sesame oil mixture on top of the chicken.
7. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Using a large spatula or turner, flip the chicken over.
8. Bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and crispy.
9. Remove from oven and allow to rest on wire rack for 5 minutes before coating in the sauce. I have included the ingredients and instructions for the Orange Sauce below.

Orange Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 c. fresh-squeezed orange, blood orange, or mandarin orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. orange zest (from the same orange)
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. oyster sauce
• 1 tsp. sriracha
• 1/2 c. diced green onions, divided
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. EVOOO
• 1/4 tsp. sesame seeds

Orange Sauce Instructions:

1. Heat EVOO in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until garlic becomes fragrant.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, including 1/4 c. diced green onion, whisking to combine.
3. Continue cooking over medium heat for 10-20 minutes, whisking occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half. Remove from heat.
4. Allow sauce to cool 5-10 minutes, until sauce is thickened and set.
5. Pour the oven-fried chicken tempura into a large bowl and top with the Orange Sauce.
6. Gently toss the chicken in the Orange Sauce. Top with sesame seeds and remaining diced green onion.

Get More Sauced

You can pair this Crispy Chinese Chicken with Orange Sauce with any semi-dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Riesling, or Gewurztraminer. Many of these wines are crisp, clean, with citrus notes; which will complement and enhance the flavors of the Orange Chicken.

This Orange Chicken also pairs well with my Grandma’s recipe for Bacon Fried Rice. Check out the blog post on Sauced for her Bacon Fried Rice recipe below.