MANDARIN CHICKEN

Servings: 4
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Chicken:

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

Sauce:

• 1 l/2cups water
• 3 mandarins, zest and juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger root
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp chopped green onion
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp corn starch

Directions:

1. Pour water, mandarin juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the mandarin zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, green onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.
2. 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.
3. In a clean bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces and stir to coat.
4. 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.
5. In a clean skillet, add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together the corn starch and 2 tbsp water, stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over white rice.