PF Chang’s Orange Hen – CopyKat Recipes

August 26, 2022

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PF Chang’s Orange Hen is a scrumptious Chinese language meal with vibrant citrus taste and just a little kick of warmth. This dish of crispy rooster bites tossed with a candy chili orange peel sauce served with orange slices is certain to be a favourite.

overhead view of copycat PF Chang's orange chicken.

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Why This Is the Recipe You Ought to Attempt for Orange Peel Hen

PF Chang’s is understood for nice Chinese language American meals, and the chain’s orange rooster is the go-to menu merchandise for a lot of company. Whereas this recipe is sort of concerned, and the ingredient checklist is just a little lengthy, you undoubtedly can’t argue with the outcomes.

When you expertise the freshness and taste you get by making orange rooster with tangy sauce your self at residence, you might be barely disillusioned with the restaurant model! This copycat recipe is an actual winner.

What Makes Orange Peel Hen Have So A lot Extra Taste Than Orange Hen

Common orange rooster is sweeter and fewer tart than orange peel rooster. Though each dishes share some elements and cooking methods, orange rooster recipes often comprise brown sugar and hoisin sauce.

These cloyingly candy parts are lacking from PF Chang’s Orange Hen, permitting the remainder of the flavors to come back by way of. Utilizing contemporary orange peel additional intensifies the dish’s style by releasing aromatic important oils lacking from different recipes.

Elements for Orange Peel Hen

To make PF Chang Orange Hen, you’ll want:

Boneless skinless rooster breasts
Orange juice
Cornstarch
Canola oil
Chili garlic sauce
Tomato paste
Sizzling chile oil
Soy sauce
Mirin
Oranges
Garlic, minced
Black pepper
Sugar
Scallions, sliced on a diagonal
Sesame seeds

Ingredient Notes

A few of these elements usually are not out there in each grocery store. If you happen to can’t discover mirin, you need to use an equal quantity of marsala or dry sherry and a pinch of sugar as a substitute.

As a substitute of utilizing sizzling chili oil, add a little bit of crushed dried crimson pepper flakes to the chili garlic sauce for just a little extra warmth. You possibly can additionally add different sizzling sauces like Gochujang or chili paste.

You possibly can add a number of carrots to the dish. Coarsely grated or wonderful julienne minimize could be greatest. Likewise with contemporary ginger. Water chestnuts would add some additional crunch.

Select a thin-skinned orange like a Bahianinha or a Hamlin for this dish. Attempt slicing away a few of the white pith of thicker-skinned oranges earlier than including the peel to the pan to cut back a few of the bitterness. You need the very best notes of orange taste within the dish.

How To Make PF Chang’s Orange Hen

To arrange PF Chang’s Orange Peel Hen recipe:

Cube the boneless rooster breasts into bite-sized items, about 1-inch chunks.
Place the rooster items in a bowl and add sufficient orange juice to cowl. Place within the fridge to marinate for half an hour.
After half-hour, drain the rooster and pat dry with paper towels.
Toss the rooster items in cornstarch to coat and lay the meat on a wire rack over a rimmed baking tray till wanted.
Warmth about two inches of canola oil in a deep fryer or a large, deep pan to 350 levels. A wok is good. Bringing the oil to the proper temperature and protecting it there’s the important thing to getting a crispy rooster that’s not greasy, so use a thermometer you probably have one.
Fry the rooster in batches for about 5 minutes till golden. Chances are you’ll want to softly transfer the rooster round every so often to stop sticking and guarantee even cooking.
Use a spider to take away the cooked rooster items and drain them on a paper towel-lined wire rack over a rimmed baking tray.

Warmth a clear giant skillet or wok over medium-high warmth.
Whereas the pan is heating, whisk collectively the chili garlic sauce, tomato paste, mirin, the juice from one orange, soy sauce, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
Slice peel of the orange into skinny items.
Fastidiously add the chili oil, minced garlic, and orange strips to the heated pan. It’s best so as to add the elements whereas the pan is off the warmth to keep away from splattering.
Simmer for 3 minutes whereas stirring sometimes.
In the meantime, put together a cornstarch slurry by mixing a teaspoon of cornstarch with a teaspoon of water.
Fastidiously pour the chili garlic sauce combination into the pan.
Convey the sauce to a boil and scale back it to a simmer.
Stir within the cornstarch and stir nicely.
Prepare dinner till the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Flip off the warmth, and add the rooster to the pan. Combine to coat nicely.

PF Chang's orange chicken recipe steps collage for sauce and finishing dish.

Serve instantly.
Garnish with sliced inexperienced onions, sesame seeds, and sliced oranges.

copycat PF Chang's orange chicken and orange slices on a plate.

What To Serve With Orange Hen

A bowl of steamed Jasmine or brown rice is a superb manner to absorb all of the spicy orange sauce. Fried rice can also be an possibility. Edamame or crispy inexperienced beans are a pleasant and light-weight facet dish. A PF Chang’s Mai Tai is a pleasant fruity cocktail to take pleasure in with the dish.

How To Retailer Leftover Orange Hen

Cool any additional rooster, and preserve it in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as three days. Or, you’ll be able to freeze it in a freezer bag for as much as three months.

How To Finest Reheat Orange Hen

To reheat on the stovetop:

Thaw frozen rooster within the fridge.
Warmth a pan on the stovetop over medium warmth.
Add a tablespoon of the identical sort of oil you used to cook dinner the rooster and a tablespoon or two of water.
Add the rooster and warmth whereas stirring.

Continuously Requested Questions

Ought to You Eat the Orange Peel within the Orange Hen?

Whether or not you select to eat the orange peels used on this dish is as much as you, however it’s an possibility. In actual fact, orange peels provide a number of nutritional vitamins and vitamins your physique wants. Nonetheless, orange peels could comprise pesticides, so you must scrub the peel rigorously and use natural fruit, if potential. Consuming a considerable amount of orange peel may additionally upset delicate stomachs.

What Is the Distinction Between Basic Tso’s Hen and Orange Peel Hen?

There are only a few similarities between Basic Tso’s Hen and Orange Peel Hen apart from each are boneless, battered, and fried rooster. The inspiration of Basic Tso’s Hen sauce is rice wine, hoisin sauce, and dried chilies, whereas Orange Peel Hen makes use of chili garlic sauce, tomato paste, and oranges.

Is Candy and Bitter Sauce the Similar as Orange Sauce?

No, they don’t seem to be the identical sauce. Whereas most of the elements are the identical for each sauces, swapping pineapples for oranges and ketchup for chili garlic sauce utterly transforms the completed dishes.

copycat PF Chang's orange chicken on a white plate.

Love Asian Meals? Attempt These Recipes!

No must go to a Chinese language restaurant when you’ll be able to simply make these dishes at residence:

In style Orange Recipes

If you happen to love the flavour of orange, right here’s a cocktail and a few desserts to strive:

Take a look at extra of my straightforward Chinese language meals recipes and the greatest rooster recipes on CopyKat!