Orange Chicken

Step 1

For the chicken: Combine the chicken and salt in a bowl and massage the salt into the chicken. Cover with plastic and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour.

Step 2

To make the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the orange juice, apricot jam, chile sauce, rice vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with a few spoonfuls of the hot mixture to make a slurry. Add the slurry back to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and syrupy; this should only take about 30 seconds of boiling. Remove from the heat and reserve in the pan.

Step 3

To finish: Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat to 375 degrees F.

Step 4

To make the batter: Add 3 tablespoons tempura flour to a medium bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. In a separate large bowl, add the remaining tempura flour and whisk in 1 1/4 cups very cold water. (The batter should still have a few lumps.) Add the dredged chicken to the batter mixture and toss to coat.

Step 5

When the oil reaches 375 degrees, fry the chicken pieces in batches, turning frequently, until the chicken is golden brown, 3 minutes total. Remove to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain of excess oil. Allow the oil to return to temperature before adding another batch.

Step 6

When ready to serve, warm the sauce in the pan, then toss in the fried chicken pieces. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the scallions. Serve with rice.