Uncle Sam's Orange Chicken

I love orange chicken, and thought I'd try making it on my own. After viewing multiple recipes that were either poorly worded or not tasty, I decided to come up with my own recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• For The Marinade

• 1  cup lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1  teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2  lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

• For the Sauce

• 1  orange
• 1⁄3 cup white vinegar
• 3  tablespoons soy sauce
• 1⁄2 cup sugar, I used raw sugar but you can use plain granulated also
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  sesame oil

• For the Batter

• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 1⁄2 cup cornstarch
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon pepper
• 1  egg

• AOI (All Other Ingredients)

•  oil, for frying plus
• 1  tablespoon  oil, for the sauce
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh ginger
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh garlic
• 1⁄4 cup  minced onion
• 1  tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2  cups  diced fresh pineapple (optional)
• 1⁄2 cup warm water
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  cup flour

Directions

1. Mix the first 3 ingredients of the Marinade in a ziplock bag. Add diced chicken and set aside for at least an hour. This can also be done the night before.
2. Zest an orange, and add to a bowl. Then add the orange juice from the orange as well as the rest of the ingredients. The orange juice should be about 1/3 cup. If less, subsidize the rest with vinegar. If a little more that's ok. Mix and set aside.
3. In a large pan, put oil for deep frying and set to medium-high heat (or 375 degrees).
4. Mix all batter ingredients, excluding the egg . Break that in a separate bowl. Coat the ,marinated chicken in egg, and then mix it all at once with the batter.
5. Your battered chicken is going to be a sticky mess. At this point pour that extra cup of flour on a plate and take each individual piece and drop it in the flour so it has a dry surface to fry inches It makes the difference.
6. In small batches, drop the chicken in the pan and cook each small batch for 3-4 minutes (or until golden brown) and let cool on paper towels. Set aside.
7. In a separate pan add 1 tbsp oil and bring to medium-high heat.
8. Fry ginger and garlic for about 10 seconds until fragrant.
9. Add minced onions and fry briefly until slightly soft.
10. Add rice vinegar and the pineapple if you are adding it.
11. Add the orange sauce mixture and bring it to a boil.
12. In a cup, combine warm water with corn starch and mix until dissolved. Then add to the sauce mix.
13. Stir and heat until thickened, and serve over Basmati or your favorite rice.