Orange Chicken Recipe
An easy orange chicken recipe featuring crispy battered chicken tossed in a sweet, tangy, homemade orange sauce, delivering that classic takeout flavor at home.
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- deep pot for frying
- whisk
- Tongs
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup water
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt and pepper to taste
Orange Sauce
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
- Sesame seeds and green onion for garnish
Instructions
Batter and Fry the Chicken
- In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, beaten egg, and water to form a batter, then season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper before dipping each piece into the batter, coating evenly.
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes, until golden and cooked through, then remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. For extra crispiness, let the oil come back to temperature and fry the chicken a second time for 1-2 minutes per batch.
Make the Orange Sauce
- In a saucepan or the same skillet you'll use to combine everything, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry to recombine, then whisk it into the simmering sauce. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
Combine and Serve
- Add the crispy fried chicken directly into the sauce, tossing quickly to coat every piece evenly without letting it sit too long, since the sauce can soften the crispy coating the longer it sits.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion, then serve immediately over rice while the chicken is still at its crispiest.
Notes
- Double-frying the chicken, as described in step 2, genuinely makes a noticeable difference in how crispy the coating stays once tossed in sauce, so consider this extra step if you have the time.
- Using fresh orange zest, rather than relying only on orange juice, adds significantly more aromatic citrus flavor to the finished sauce.
- Tossing the chicken in the sauce right before serving, rather than letting it sit, helps preserve as much crispiness as possible, since the sauce will inevitably soften the coating somewhat over time.
- Working in batches while frying prevents the oil temperature from dropping too much, which helps the chicken cook evenly and develop a proper crispy crust rather than turning greasy.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, though the chicken will lose most of its crispiness once stored with the sauce; reheating in an air fryer helps restore some texture.