Homemade Orange Chicken and Lo Mein

Chicken

• boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 5 ml1 tsp black pepper
• low sodium soy sauce
• cornstarch (several tablespoons, enough to coat)
• flour (small amount to help binding)
• 11 egg white
• warm water (small amount)
• vegetable oil for frying

Orange Sauce

• 120 ml1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
• orange zest
• 25 g2 tbsp sugar
• 15 ml1 tbsp honey
• 15 ml1 tbsp soy sauce
• 12 g1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• cornstarch
• ginger paste
• 15 g1 tbsp minced garlic

Lo Mein

• 1/2 packet1/2 packet lo mein noodles
• 1/21/2 onion, sliced
• 2 stalks2 stalks celery, chopped
• cabbage, roughly chopped
• 60 ml4 tbsp soy sauce
• 23 g2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 15 ml1 tbsp sesame oil
• 14 g1 tbsp brown sugar
• 30 ml2 tbsp oyster sauce
• black pepper to taste
• avocado oil

Instructions

1. 1 Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces, trimming the fat. In a bowl, combine chicken with cornstarch, black pepper, a splash of low sodium soy sauce, one egg white separated from the yolk, and a small amount of warm water. Mix well until coated, then add a bit more cornstarch and a small amount of flour to achieve a thick, sticky coating. Let the chicken rest in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest.
2. 2 Make the orange sauce by squeezing two oranges to yield 1/2 cup of juice. Whisk together the orange juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, a small amount of cornstarch, a little ginger paste, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic. Set aside. If the sauce needs thickening at the end, mix a little cornstarch with cold water and stir it in while simmering.
3. 3 Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 175°C350°F. Fry the battered chicken in batches until golden and crispy, then remove and set aside. Do a second fry of all the chicken together for extra crispiness. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook half a packet of lo mein noodles for 6–8 minutes, then drain and set aside.
4. 4 In a separate pan, heat a splash of avocado oil over medium heat. Sauté the sliced onion and chopped celery until softened. Add the cabbage and stir-fry until just tender, reducing heat if it starts to brown too quickly. Add the drained noodles to the pan, then pour in the lo mein sauce (1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and black pepper). Toss everything together until the noodles are well coated and darkened.
5. 5 Add a little orange zest to the orange sauce and bring it to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until slightly thickened (add the cornstarch-water slurry if needed). Toss the fried chicken into the orange sauce and flip to coat thoroughly. Serve the orange chicken alongside the lo mein.