Saucy Asian Chicken

I really love Asian food and I am always looking for new recipes. I found this one on the internet and tweaked it a bit. The sauce is sweet and a bit sour with the addition of vinegar; and mild or spicy depending on the amount of red pepper flakes you add. It's a quick-to-make dinner and a good way to use up some of that frozen chicken that I always seem to forget about in my freezer.



Sauce:

3 T cornstarch
1/4 C water
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp ginger root
2/3 C sugar
1 tsp orange zest
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C white wine vinegar
1/2 C hot water
pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

Mix cornstarch and water together. Then add rest of the ingredients up to the hot water and stir for a few minutes until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Cut 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Cook in a tablespoon or so of oil until cooked, and no longer pink in the center. (At this point I like to either use another pan or take the chicken out for a few minutes while I clean the old pan of the extra grease before putting the chicken back in.)

Add the sauce to the cooked chicken, as well as the hot water, and cook on medium heat for a few minutes while the sauce thickens. Add some pepper and red pepper flakes; as much as you like. I don't add too much if my kids are eating it.
I like to add some steamed carrots or broccoli to the mixture and serve it over rice.