For those of you looking to try a new recipes this winter, a favorite at-home dish of mine, inspired by the orange chicken plate at The Cheesecake Factory, is my own version of the meal.
Ingredients:
-chicken tenders
-pancake mix
-flour
-Kikkoman orange sauce
-white rice
-stir fry vegetables of your choice (peppers, onions, broccoli, etc.)
-vegetable oil
-one pineapple
-one orange
Preparing the dish:
I start by cutting the pineapple vertically down the middle. I then completely cut out one half of the pineapple, creating a bowl with the skin. Keep the fruit to the side to add to the dish later on. Then, make the batter. This is what you will be frying the chicken with. For this recipe, I use pancake mix for the batter of the fried chicken. Although it may sound weird, it creates a nice crispy crust for the chicken. You can use any pancake/waffle mix you prefer, but I suggest Krusteaz or Bisquick. 
I usually follow the instructions to make the batter. I would suggest making the batter a bit thicker than normal because it needs to stick to the chicken. After preparing the batter, I dice up the chicken tenders into two-inch cubes. I start by taking the chicken and coating it with flour, then dipping it in the pancake batter. I repeat this process once more before carefully placing it in about half an inch of vegetable oil warmed to medium heat. While the chicken is cooking and frying to a golden brown, I make the white rice according to the instructions. I also steam the vegetables in a pan with about three quarters an inch of water in a pan with a lid on medium heat. This will take five minutes—tops.
Once the chicken is crispy, you can take it out of the oil and place it onto a paper-towel-covered plate. This way, any excess oil is absorbed. Toss the chicken with the Kikkoman orange sauce.
Now, for the presentation. I take the white rice and fill one third of the makeshift pineapple bowl with it. I fill another third with the various vegetables and some leftover pineapple pieces. Lastly, I put the chicken in the last third of the pineapple bowl. I usually top off the entire meal with a few scraps of orange zest to add flavor and garnish.
I strongly suggest using this recipe only if you have enough time to prep and cook. Because of the pineapple bowl, it took a while to cook and finish the meal. If you aren’t dedicated for a perfect Instagram post, you can scratch the aesthetically pleasing pineapple bowl and go for a regular ceramic bowl. Although not as pretty, it’s still just as tasty!