How to handle orange peels for orange chicken?

[TwoSocks]

There used to be a Chinese fast food joint here where I live called Pick Up Stix that was similar to Panda Express, but better. Sadly, all the Pick Up Sticks franchises have closed. One of the dishes that was served there was a delicious orange peel chicken. I'd like to add orange peel to an orange chicken recipe my sister has given me, but am not sure quite how it's done. Do I need to remove the pith from the inside of the peel? Does the peel need to be blanched, either in plain water or a light syrup of some kind? I have looked at some orange peel chicken recipes on line and don't know what to make of them. Any help on this would be much appreciated.

[Sue]

There's a little tool with five little holes in it you can buy that will peel the zest from an orange into little strips, or you can use a paring knife thinly shave it off and julienne it real thin. But yeah, you should avoid as much of the pith as you can. I also want to mention that it's not usually made where you can zest the orange with a microplane- I guess you could do that, but the orange flavor will be stronger and you might want to add less.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zester

[TwoSocks]

Oh....I know how to zest an orange. But I'm looking to do more than just add a bit of orange zest to my recipe. The dish I remember from the restaurant actually had little chunks of orange peel right in with the chicken and vegetables and sauce. That is what I'm trying to replicate here at home.

[Dissie]

I think I would try to use my peeler. Lightly peel some strips. You can even turn them over and lay peel down after they are off the orange and shave more of the pith off with your peeler.

[Sue]

This is from one of my recipes: Cut orange in half, then quarter, then half again; remove peel without splitting it if you can, then try to press it flat and with your knife cut away as much white pith as you can.

Still much easier and faster to use the zester with better results.
I will add that I am aware of places using dried orange peel and they infuse it to the wok oil at the beginning, but please, trust me, it is an inferior method. It puts a bitter flavor in the stir-fry. And no, it is not blanched or candied or anything like that. My advice is to use the fresh, simply because it is better, and even if different from what you remember, I think you would like it more. The old days of using dried peel are past because of the bitterness, and as well, because the dried orange peel loses flavor so quickly after just a short time.