Creating the perfect Hot Orange Chicken is easier than you might think! Follow these steps for an incredible dish:

1. Prepare Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well to season.
2. Coat Chicken: In one bowl, place the beaten eggs. In another bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch. Dip each chicken piece in the egg, then coat it in the flour-cornstarch mixture.
3. Heat the Oil: In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat for frying.
4. Fry Chicken: Carefully add the chicken pieces to the hot oil in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes per side. Once cooked, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
5. Make the Sauce: In a separate pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the orange juice, orange zest, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili flakes. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
6. Combine: Allow the sauce to thicken slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Then add the fried chicken to the pan, tossing it gently to ensure every piece is coated in the sauce.
7. Garnish: Remove from heat. Transfer the hot orange chicken to a serving dish and sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
8. Serve Hot: Enjoy your homemade Hot Orange Chicken immediately while it’s hot and crispy!

These straightforward steps will have you serving up a restaurant-quality dish in no time.