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tangerine sesame chicken

bacon orange chicken

  • Every year, my mother in-law always, always sends me citrus from her backyard.
  • Every time we order Chinese take out, my son always, always asks for Sesame Chicken.
  • Every time we go to Friendly’s, my daughter always, always asks for Dippin’ Chicken.

    • Tangerine Sesame Dippin Chicken

    These are three different events that always, always happen separately.

    Until I combine them into one.

    Now it becomes one event.

    Oh wow, such an astute observation, Angie! Separate events are separate until you combine them. Individual things are individual until you combine them. Then they become one thing. Geez, how in the world did I just come up with such a smart conclusion? Rocket science stuff, people! 😀

    Anyway, the point is, I made Tangerine Sesame Dippin’ Chicken and I was able to make three different individuals happy.

  • I was happy that I made use of my tangerine glut.
  • My son was happy he got his sesame chicken.
  • My daughter was happy she got her dippin’ chicken.

    • Sesame Dippin Chicken

    I hit the trifecta! You may think that’s nothing to brag about, but for this mom it is. I have 2 kids with opposite tastes and I usually have to prepare 2 different dishes to make them both happy. So whenever I can cook one dish that makes everybody happy, I win. And winning is everything! If you don’t believe me, ask my husband and his Oakland Raiders.

    Did you see their last game? Against the San Francisco 49ers (BIL’s team)? A bit of rivalry going on in the family! I never saw a man so happy to see his team win! I’m talking about my man, not BIL.

    Which reminds me. This Tangerine Sesame Dippin’ Chicken also made that man happy. It’s a perfect football finger food! Hey, that’s a four-fecta!

    bacon orange chicken appetizer

    Tangerine/Orange Sesame Chicken

    2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
    1 egg yolk
    1 tbsp soy sauce
    1 tsp grated orange zest
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp pepper
    1/2 tsp sugar
    Cooking oil

    1. Cut chicken into bite sized or two-bite sized pieces.
    2. Marinade chicken with the rest of the ingredients, except for the oil, for about 30 minutes.

    The wet batter
    This is a thin batter. You can dip chicken pieces in this batter and fry, without further dipping in the dry batter. It will create softer, less crunchy chicken. The choice is yours.

    1 egg white
    1/2 cup water
    1/4 cup corn starch
    1/4 cup all-purpose flour

    1. Beat egg with a whisk until foamy and doubled in volume.
    2. Add water and flours and whisk until smooth.

    The dry batter (for dredging)
    This step is what makes the chicken super crunchy. Again, whatever you prefer. We prefer extra crunchy!

    1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup corn starch
    1/2 tsp garlic powder
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp pepper
    1 tbsp sesame seeds

    1. Combine all ingredients and place on a large plate.

    To fry the chicken
    1 Heat vegetable oil in a fryer or wok or skillet over medium-high heat. The oil should reach at least 1 inch high inside the pan.
    2. Working in batches, dip chicken pieces, one at a time, first into the wet batter, then roll or dredge on the dry batter.
    3. Fry until golden and chicken is cooked. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

    The sauce
    1 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice (or substitute with orange juice)
    1/4 cup chicken stock or water
    1 tbsp soy sauce
    1 tsp finely minced garlic
    1 tsp grated ginger
    1 tbsp corn starch
    1 tbsp vinegar
    2-3 tbsp sugar (depending on how sweet you like it or how sour your tangerines/oranges are)
    1 tsp tangerine/orange zest
    1 tsp sriracha sauce or red pepper flakes (optional)
    1/2 tsp sesame seed oil

    1. Place all ingredients, except for the sesame seed oil, in a saucepan. Whisk until well combined.
    2. Heat on medium-high heat, while whisking continuously, until sauce is bubbly and thickened.
    3. Add sesame seed oil. A dash is all you need. This stuff is potent!

    To make dippin’ chicken, thread pieces of fried chicken onto bamboo skewers. Serve with sauce on the side.
    To serve as an appetizer (football finger food), dip chicken pieces into the sauce and serve on toothpicks.

    The BEST WAY to serve these chicken bites, however, is atop rice, with bacon pieces. This is the crowd’s favorite! Just fry bacon pieces until brown and crisp and add them to the chicken and mix with the sauce. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions. SOOOO GOOOOD!!

    bacon sesame chicken

    A four-fecta recipe is obviously perfect to bring to Fiesta Friday. See you tomorrow at Fiesta Friday #46!