Better than take-out, this Orange Chicken Recipe is easy to make at home. It is full of flavor and will have you wanting more!
Serve this up with some Kung Pao Chicken and Easy Egg Rolls for the perfect make your own take out night!
On the rare occasion that we go out to that certain fast food Chinese food restaurant, my kids only ask for one thing. The orange chicken. There is something about that deep fried, super sweet dish that draws us all in every time. And I’m guessing many of you are the same, since it’s their most popular dish.
But why go out when you can make it yourself at home, where you know exactly what you are putting into it? And I may be biased, but I think it tastes better than the Panda Express orange chicken!
This Orange Chicken recipe is nice and crispy and is coated with the perfect orange sauce that is sweet and a little sour and perfect for a Chinese food at home night.
Ingredients
Egg, Cornstarch, Flour, Salt: These are all used for the breading for the chicken. This breading is really easy because you just mix it all together, then coat the chicken in the mixture.
Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken thighs are my favorite for this recipe.
Oil: You want a neutral oil for frying the chicken. I like to use vegetable oil or avocado oil.
Orange Juice: This is the base of your orange sauce.
Soy Sauce: I always use low sodium soy sauce so that it is not overly salty.
Sugar: The orange sauce is both sweet and sour, so don’t skip the sugar!
Mirin: This is pretty easy to find at most grocery stores. And if you make Chinese food at home often, this is a good ingredient to have on hand.
Rice Vinegar: This is also a great ingredient to have on hand for Chinese food at home, but if you don’t have it, you can sub in white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Ginger: Fresh is best, but you can use about 3/4 teaspoon of ground ginger instead.
Sesame Oil: This gives a lot of flavor! You can still make the recipe without it, but it will be missing that sesame flavor.
Red Pepper Flakes: To add a little heat.
Cornstarch: The cornstarch will thicken the sauce at the end.
How to Make Homemade Orange Chicken
MAKE THE CHICKEN:
Start by prepping your chicken. Mix together your egg, cornstarch, water, flour and salt in a large bowl.
Add your chicken and stir it to coat the chicken pieces with the batter.
Heat your oil in a cast iron pan (or a large skillet). You’ll cook the chicken in batches, cooking it until it is crispy on both sides and cooked through.
MAKE THE ORANGE SAUCE:
While you are cooking the chicken, make the sauce by combining all of the ingredients (except the cornstarch and water) in a pot.
Let the sauce cook until it boils, then add in the cornstarch slurry. Let it cook until it is thickened.
COMBINE IT ALL TOGETHER:
Pour the sauce over the chicken in a large bowl and stir to coat the chicken with the sauce.
If desired, you can top it with sliced green onions and serve over white rice.
Tips and Tricks
- I like to use freshly squeezed orange juice, but you can always pick up a bottle, as well.
- I like to use chicken thighs because they are easier to cook and have more flavor. Feel free to sub in chicken breast, though, if that is what you have or like.
- If you want to cut back on calories, you can skip the frying. Skip the breading and saute your chicken until cooked, and add the sauce.
- 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes gives this a bit of a punch of heat. Feel free to cut back if you are serving kids, or add a little more if you really like some heat.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated later. They won’t stay as crispy, but it’s still good!
More Chinese Recipes
Sweet and Sour Chicken – one of the most popular recipes here on Taste and Tell – for good reason!
Steak Stir Fry Recipe with Peppers – I love that this one is a little healthier, yet still full of flavor!
Beef and Broccoli – a classic Chinese take out recipe.
General Tso Chicken – another sweet and spicy favorite.
Pressure Cooker Cashew Chicken – I love that this one is made in the Instant Pot – perfect for a weeknight.
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Orange Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
Better than take-out, this Orange Chicken Recipe is easy to make at home. It is full of flavor and will have you wanting more!
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Vegetable oil, for frying (or another neutral flavored oil)
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Green onions, for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the egg, 1/2 cup cornstarch, water, flour and salt. Mix until combined. Add the chicken and stir until the chicken is completely coated.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºF. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a heavy skillet. Heat over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add about 1/4 of the chicken to the hot oil in a single layer. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then turn the chicken to cook on the second side. Fry until the chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and place in the oven to keep it warm while you cook the rest of the chicken.
- Working in batches, cook the remaining chicken.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce.
- In a saucepan, combine the orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Set over medium heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water together.
- When the sauce comes to a boil, whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, then lower the heat to keep warm until the chicken is cooked.
- When all of the chicken is cooked, place it in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the top and stir to coat.
- Serve topped with green onions, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Adapted from Easy Chinese Recipes: Family Favorites from Dim Sum to Kung Pao
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.
The nutritional value for the frying oil is based on a retention of 1/4 cup oil. Cooking time and temperature can cause this number to change.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 434
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 1422 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 171 mg
Keywords: Orange chicken, orange chicken recipe, how to make orange chicken, orange chicken sauce, homemade orange chicken, easy orange chicken recipe
pam says
can this be prepared in an air fryer??
Deborah says
I have never tried, so I couldn’t say for sure without testing it first.
Becki's Whole Life says
Every recipe from this book sounds so flavorful and delish. I love this one too…might have to run to the freezer and take out some chicken!
Chels R. says
I’m going to have to try this. The husband would love it!
Erika - The Teenage Taste says
I ALWAYS order Orange Chicken when I get take-out Chinese. Glad to know how easy it is to make from home! I’ll have to try it out!
Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray says
This looks delicious! Orange chicken always reminds me of my best friend–it’s her favorite.
jennifurla says
Now this looks like good orange chicken! Love the color, I bet super tasty. Happy Thanksgiving.
Bev Weidner says
I. WANT. THIS.
Rosa says
That dish looks delicious! A wonderful recipe.
Cheers,
Rosa