Orange Chicken

Sauce:

1 cup water

1/2 cup 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 gingerroot

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more if you want it spicier

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Chicken:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Pour into saucepan water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce; and set over medium-high heat. Stir in orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper, and chopped onion. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and let cool 10 to 15 minutes.

Cut chicken into pieces. Don’t make them too small or they will be too chewy. Place chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve remaining sauce. Seal bag, and refrigerate for two hours. It will still work if you don’t have time to let it marinate, though.

In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add marinated chicken pieces, and stir to coat

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in skillet, and brown on both sides. Remove to paper towels.

Wipe out the skillet, and add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water, and stir into sauce. Reduce heat to medium low; stir in chicken pieces, and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over Fried Rice or steamed white Rice. Slivered almonds make a nice garnish.

Chicken Flautas

4 chicken breasts; boneless & skinless

2 red onions

garlic powder

3-4 cups shredded mozzarella and provolone

30 corn tortillas

vegetable oil

salt & pepper to taste

Put the chicken in a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it.

Dice the onions and add them to a pan of heated oil. Add several shakes of garlic powder. Sauté on low heat until onion is soft, but not browned. Add the shredded chicken, season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the stove and add most of the cheese. Mix well.

Soften corn tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Heat frying oil in a pan. Place chicken mixture in each tortilla, roll it up tightly and secure it with a toothpick. Immediately place flautas in oil, so the tortillas do not crack. Turn the flautas frequently, cooking until they are golden brown and the chicken on the edges are browned.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a drizzle of medium salsa, and a sprinkling of cheese on top. Red rice and refried beans with chips and guacamole would make nice sides.

Chris, Griffeth and I made these last night to celebrate the end of finals--we ended up serving chicken flautas to 2 other apartments. They were a big hit. I think we will have to make this a bimonthly occurrence.