Orange Chicken With Vegetables

This is a mild version of Grace Young’s spicy orange chicken, with as much emphasis on vegetables as on chicken.

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, preferably from a small producer of free-range chickens, cut into pieces 1/4 inch thick by 1 inch long
2 tablespoons finely shredded or minced ginger
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons soy sauce (low-sodium if desired)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¾ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon roasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns
¼ cup chicken broth or water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Zest of 1 orange
2 medium-size ripe tomatoes, cut into thin wedges, or 1 heaped cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cups baby spinach or chopped chard leaves, washed and dried
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
Salt to taste

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (3 servings)
  438 calories; 23 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 97 milligrams cholesterol; 350 milligrams sodium

Serves three

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tablespoon of the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the rice wine or sherry, the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, sugar and ground Sichuan peppercorns. Stir together well and place within arm’s reach of your pan. Combine the broth, vinegar and remaining rice wine or sherry with the remaining teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl and place within arm’s reach of your pan. Have the remaining ingredients measured out and near the pan.
Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the garlic and remaining ginger and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Push the ginger and garlic to the sides of the pan and carefully lay the chicken pieces in one layer in the wok or pan. Let the chicken sear undisturbed for 1 minute, then add the orange zest and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the chicken is lightly colored but not cooked through. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry 30 seconds, just until the tomatoes begin to collapse. Stir the broth mixture and add to the pan with the spinach (or chard) and scallions. Sprinkle with salt to taste and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat and serve.

10 minutes