P. F. CHANG’S ORANGE PEEL CHICKEN

MENU DESCRIPTION: “Tossed with orange peel and chili peppers for a spicylcitrus combination.”

Several of P. F. Chang’s top-selling items are similar in preparation technique: Bite-size pieces of meat are lightly breaded and wok-seared in oil, then doused with a secret sauce mixture. That’s the basis for this recipe as well, but I have a special fondness for the citrusy sweet and spicy flavors found in this entrée. The heat comes from chili garlic sauce, which you’ll find in the aisle with the Asian foods in your supermarket—the rest of the sauce ingredients are common stuff. The orange peel is julienned into thin strips before adding it to the dish. Since the flavor from the peel is so strong, we won’t need to add it until the end. Cook up some white or brown rice to serve alongside this dish and get the chop-sticks ready.

SERVES: 3 TO 4.

INGREDIENTS:

SAUCE:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 skinless chicken breast fillets
• ½ cup cornstarch
• Peel from ¼ orange, julienned (into ⅛-inch-wide strips)

INSTRUCTIONS:

TO PREPARE THE SAUCE:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add minced garlic and sliced green onions.
3. Add tomato sauce and water quickly before the garlic burns.
4. Add sugar, chili garlic sauce, and soy sauce and bring to a boil.
5. Simmer 5 to 6 minutes or until sauce thickens, then turn off the heat.

TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN:

1. Heat ½ cup oil in a wok over medium heat.
2. Slice chicken breast fillets into bite-size pieces.
3. Coat each piece of chicken with cornstarch.
4. Arrange coated chicken on a plate until all chicken is coated.
5. When oil in the wok is hot, add about half of the chicken to the oil and cook for a couple of minutes or until brown on one side, then flip the chicken over.
6. When chicken is golden brown, remove the pieces to a rack or paper towels to drain.
7. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
8. When all of the chicken is cooked, rinse the oil out of the wok with water and place it back on the stove to heat up.

TO FINISH THE DISH:

1. When the wok is hot again, add julienned orange peel and chicken.
2. Heat for 20 to 30 seconds or so, stirring gently.
3. Add sauce to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes.
4. Stir the dish a couple of times but do it gently so you don’t knock the coating off the chicken.
5. Cook until the sauce thickens, then serve with white or brown rice on the side.