Orange Chicken

Tender, chewy, crispy, citrusy, sweet, tangy and spicy all in one.  Chinese Orange Chicken, a dish of chopped, battered, and fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet orange-flavored, caramelized chili sauce, is a highly popular Chinese fast food dish of Hunan origin.

Sauce:

 1 1/2 cups water
 2 tablespoons orange juice
 1/4 cup lemon juice
 1/3 cup rice vinegar
 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
 1 cup packed brown sugar
 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
 3 tablespoons cornstarch
 2 tablespoons water

Chicken:

 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
 1 cup all-purpose flour
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon pepper
 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
Place the chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
In another resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and cover with aluminum foil.
Wipe out the skillet, and add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.