Recipe: Spicy Chinese Chicken in Orange Sauce

Spicy Chinese Chicken in Orange Sauce
rec.food.recipes/Dancer/2000
Servings: 4

Rice:
1 cup long-grain rice

2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt

Sauce:
1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Stir-fry mixture:
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste
3 cloves garlic, crushed through a press
4 (1-inch-long) pieces of orange rind
14 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced

To make the rice:In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add salt; stir in rice. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for at least 5 minutes, or until ready to serve.

To make the sauce: In a measuring cup, combine the chicken broth, 4 tablespoons of the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and white pepper. In a separate dish, mix together the cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce to make a thin paste. Set both sauce mixture and cornstarch mixture aside.

To make the stir-fry mixture: Bring a small amount of water to a boil and blanch the carrots and green beans for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain again.

Heat the oil in a large wok over high heat until very hot. Add the crushed red pepper; cook for 30 seconds, but don't allow to burn. Add the garlic, orange rind, and chicken, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken turns white. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the carrots and green beans and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir the sauce and pour over the vegetable and chicken mixture. Heat until sauce comes to a boil. Stir the cornstarch mixture and pour into the sauce; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat. To serve, spoon about 1 cup of rice on individual plates and spoon the chicken and vegetables on top.