Better than Take Out Orange Chicken

 Recipe from The Pastry Chef    

 This recipe is definitely going into my GO~TO recipe binder.  

Ingredients
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-1/2” cubes
1 ½ cups corn starch
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Oil (for frying)

Orange Sauce
1 ½ cups water
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest, grated
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ginger root, minced
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Next time I will add:
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 sliced bell peppers
1/2 cup peanuts

1. Combine corn starch, salt, and pepper. Prepare a bowl with beaten eggs, another with panko bread crumbs and another with corn starch. Dip chicken in egg mixture, dredge in cornstarch, then again in the eggs and finally in the panko bread crumbs, set aside. Heat pan with vegetable oil to 375 degrees, fry chicken in batches until completely cooked.
2. In a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
3. Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired garnish with green onions. 

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

A big thanks to Katie for sharing one of her GO-TO recipes. 
I picked this recipe because it is healthy and lettuce wrap are GREAT!  My husband and I both agree that it needs more of something.  I don't know for sure but I am going to make a couple changes next time I make it. 

 Five Stars

Ingredients                                                                                                                        
2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 large onion, chopped

1 ¼ pounds lean ground turkey

½ cup purchased Asian peanut sauce

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1/4 cup chucky peanut butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus additional soy sauce for dipping

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)

12 large butter lettuce leaves

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

1 can of water chestnuts, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced
***1/4 cup chopped lightly salted peanuts( I added those to the recipe)

Preparation

In a large skillet heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Saute

the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and
cook until no longer pink, breaking it up with the back of a wooden

spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes.Add minced garlic, peanut sauce, hoisin sauce,
1 tablespoon soysauce, sriracha sauce, water chestnuts to the turkey mixture
and mix to combine. Let it simmer for minutes.

Can be made 8 hours ahead.Cover and refrigerate. Reheat in microwave or skillet, adding water by tablespoonfuls to moisten if necessary, before continuing.)

Stir in cucumber and chopped mint. Taste for seasonings, season

with salt and pepper.Transfer turkey mixture to your serving bowl.
Place mint sprigs and lettuce leaves on platter. To make wraps,
spoon turkey mixture onto lettuce leaf, add a few mint sprigs,
fold in sides over filling, and roll up.