Ellena’s Notes
Analisa has been doing a lot of cooking at college, which was completely unexpected! She would send Natalie and I recipe after recipe to try. This is one of her favorites, so of course we HAD to make it. And of course, I adapted it a little with wine (my signature ingredient)! It was one of the most delicious dinners we’ve had in a long time! So much so, that I told Natalie it had to be in the next newsletter. It is a little more work than my typical recipes, but so worth it! I promise you’ll love it!
Wine Pairing
This was wonderful with the rest of the Pinot Grigio bottle, but would be equally delicious with our Riesling if you added a bit of spice to the sauce. Natalie loved our Nat’s red blend, as a smooth, pairs-with-everything wine.
Eat Simple, Eat Well, Ellena
Ingredients
oil for frying (I use light olive oil)
1 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup cornstarch + 1 tbsp, divided
2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 egg white
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/3 cup water
1 cup jasmine rice
3 tbsp Pinot Grigio
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (I use some pulp store bought)
4–6 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 clove grated garlic
Toppings:
Toasted sesame seeds
Green onions, thinly sliced
Directions
Heat an even, 1/4” thick layer of oil in a deep-fryer or large pot to 330-340°F. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup cornstarch, flour, 1 tbsp soy sauce, egg white, sesame oil, ground pepper, and water. Whisk until you have a smooth, thin, paint-like batter. If the batter is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Add the chicken pieces into the batter. Gently mix until all pieces are thoroughly coated. Deep fry the battered chicken for 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked and the coating is golden. Remove and drain on a wire rack or a paper towel lined plate; let rest for at least 15 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, make cornstarch slurry by combining 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp wine and cook rice according to package directions. Then, once the chicken is resting, make orange sauce. In the same large pan or wok, combine orange juice, brown sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, vinegar, 1 tbsp wine, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for about 1 minute to dissolve the sugars. Slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry while constantly stirring. Continue to simmer for 30-60 seconds until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency. Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and toss quickly to coat each piece evenly with the orange sauce. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions over the chicken. Serve immediately with rice.
