Orange Chicken

Tonight we made this orange chicken recipe and it was so delicious that I wanted to hurry and put it on here so that I wouldn't lose the recipe and risk never making it again!  Of course, it was Fast Sunday, and that may contribute to the deliciousness of this Sunday dinner...  

Orange Chicken
adapted from: foodnetwork.com (and this is the Pioneer Woman's recipe)

Chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. oil

For the sauce:
1 c. orange juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar (I used balsamic because I was out of rice vinegar)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
2 dashes of salt (it calls for a dash of salt and I'm putting the doubled recipe on here)
2 dashes of red pepper flakes
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 dashes of ginger
1 tsp. of cornstarch
1/4 c. water
orange zest

In a sealed, large ziploc bag, shake the chicken chunks and 1/4 c. cornstarch until the chicken is well coated.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the coated chicken over medium heat until it is cooked through.  In a sauce pan, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic and ginger.  Heat it until it begins to boil and continue stirring while it thickens, about 5 minutes.  Stir together the 1 tsp. cornstarch and water and slowly add it to the boiling sauce.  Return it to a boil for another minute, until the sauce thickens.  Add your orange zest to the sauce (I just added a little).  Pour it over your chicken and let it simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve it over rice, with vegetables.