Orange Chicken
Orange Chicken is one of the most popular Chinese takeouts that has become a staple with takeouts. And we've found a delicious way to homemade orange chicken, so you never have to worry about lineups at the mall or drive thru again. Plus it's really TASTIER and you can adjust spice to your taste!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups oil for frying
Coating Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg
- 1/3-1/2 cup water
Orange Chicken Sauce
- 1 cup orange juice freshly squeezed is best
- 1 teaspoon garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tabelspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water and blended well
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Garnish
- 2 Tablespoon sesame seeds toasted
- 3 green onions sliced, the green part only
Instructions
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Begin by making the coating batter for the chicken: In a large bowl, mix the flour, season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Whisk the egg into the flour and then gradually add in the water while whisking to achieve a thick batter consistency.
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To the cut up chicken pieces, season them lightly with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss them in cornstarch.
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The cornstarch helps the chicken stick to the coating.
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Now add the cornstarch coated chicken pieces into the prepared batter and toss well to coat every piece of chicken.
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Preheat a high smoking oil in a wok or pot. Add the battered chicken chunks, one piece at a time. Make sure not to add them all together as they will crowd and stick together.
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A chopstick is best for this task or a fork if you don't have one. Avoid overcrowding the pan as well.
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Cook for just 2-3 minutes until the coating has turned golden and at that point the chicken is done too.
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Remove the chicken from the oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
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To make the sauce: in a small pot over medium heat, you'll add in all the sauce ingredients above.
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Bring the sauce to a boil and then add in the cornstarch slurry. The slurry is cornstarch mixed in with water to thicken the sauce.
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Once the sauce has boiled with the slurry, it's ready. Turn off the heat and the sauce should have thickened and reached a sticky consistency.
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At that point, add the fried and drained chicken pieces right in to the sauce pan and coat with the sauce very well. Make sure to toss and coat so each piece of chicken is coated in orange sauce.
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And its ready! That's ow simple it is!
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Right before serving sprinkle some green onions and sesame seeds on top. Now you're ready to enjoy some homemade orange chicken 🧡
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Tips for Tasty Homemade Orange Chicken
- Choose between chicken thighs or breasts, or use a combo of both. Thighs are extra juicy, while breast is super light tasting.
- Coating the chicken lightly in cornstarch before coating it in the batter will help the batter stick to the chicken.
- Season the chicken and batter lightly with salt, pepper and garlic powder for a depth of flavor.
- When frying the chicken, use a high smoking point oil like avocado, peanut, soy or canola.
- Also when frying the chicken, use a chopstick or fork to add in the chicken one at a time into the hot oil.
- Avoid adding too many as the batter will expand and the chicken may stick to each other.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when frying.
- Remove the chicken as soon as they turn golden on the outside, they don’t need more than 2-3 minutes.
- When making the sauce, use fresh orange juice when possible. The same orange you've zested, use the juice of it.
- The slurry is to thicken the sauce, and in order to do that you'll need to bring it to a boil.
- Finally, add the sesame and green onions right before serving.
How to Make Spicy Orange Chicken?
You can add some sriracha (about a tablespoon) to the sauce and as many teaspoons of chilli flakes as. you can handle! SO GOOD when spicy!
How to Make Healthier Orange Chicken
For a healthy alternative to the regular orange chicken recipe, you can cook the chicken in the oven. Follow the recipe and place it on a rack in a 400 degreeF oven. Make sure to spray it with oil and bake it for 15 minutes until golden.
Mandarin Orange Chicken
For a little twist, add one step to the orange chicken recipe and get the amazing mandarin orange chicken. Follow the recipe as is but swap a mandarin orange for regular oranges.
Instant Pot Orange Chicken
If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to make the chicken and sauce separately, you can make the orange chicken in an instant pot. Just saute the chicken pieces in oil, and add the sauce ingredients once it’s golden brown. Bring it to a boil and add cornstarch in the end for the desired consistency.
Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Another variant is to cook the chicken cubes in an air fryer before adding them to the sauce. The air fryer orange chicken is a healthy alternative to the regular orange chicken recipe. The batter will be eggs in a bowl and breadcrumbs in the other. Similar to the Air Fryer Fish coating.
What is the Sauce on Orange Chicken Made of?
The orange chicken sauce is made of orange juice and zest , brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger. You can optionally add red chilies. To thicken the sauce, you'll need cornstarch.
Is Orange Chicken the same as Orange Peel Chicken?
Yes, orange peel chicken is just another name for orange chicken. The difference is the use of orange zest or dried orange peel in the sauce.
What do you serve with Orange Chicken?
Many items go with orange chicken, including white steamed rice, steamed broccoli, asparagus, and noodles. You can also have it with Avocado Orange Salad with Citrus Dressing for a bright orange feel!