Panda Express's Orange Flavored Chicken

Sauce:

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced water chestnuts

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1 rounded teaspoon chopped green onion

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

5 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons arrowroot

3 tablespoons water

Chicken:

4 chicken breast fillets

1 cup ice water

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups unsifted cake flour

2 to 4 cups vegetable oil

1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients - except the cornstarch, arrowroot, and 3 tablespoons of water - in a* small saucepan over high heat. Stir
often while bringing mixture to a boil. When sauce reaches a boil, remove it from heat and allow it to cool a bit, uncovered.

2. Slice chicken breasts into bite-size chunks. Remove exactly 1 cup of the marinade from the pan and pour* it* over

the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or other container which allows the chicken to be* completely* covered

with the marinade. The chicken should marinate for at least a couple hours. Cover the remaining sauce and* leave* it to cool until the chicken is
ready.

3. When chicken has marinated, preheat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a wok or skillet to 350 degrees.

4. Combine cornstarch with arrowroot in a small bowl, then add 3 tablespoons of water.* Stir* until* cornstarch* and arrowroot have dissolved. Pour
this mixture into the sauce and set the pan over high* heat.* When* sauce* begins* to bubble and thicken, cover and remove it from heat.

5. Beat together the ice water and egg in a medium bowl. Add baking soda and salt.

6. Add 3/4 cup of the flour and stir with a fork just until the flour in blended into the mixture. The batter should still be lumpy.

7. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of flour on top of the batter and mix with only one or two* strokes.* Most* of* the* new flour will still floating on top of
the mixture. Put the remaining flour (1/2 cup) into a separate medium bowl.

8. Dip each piece of chicken first into the flour, then into the batter. Let some of the batter drip* off* and* then slide the chicken into the oil. Fry up to
1/2 of the chicken pieces at a time for 3 to 4 minutes,* or* until* golden brown. Flip the chicken over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the
chicken to* a* rack* or* paper* towels* to drain.

9. As the chicken cooks, reheat the sauce left covered on the stove. Stir occasionally.

10. When all of the chicken is done, pour it into a large bowl, and cover with* the* thickened* sauce.* Stir* gently until all of the pieces are well
coated.