Chinese Orange Chicken (Crispy Chicken without Deep Frying)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
2 to 4 servings
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Calories
309 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Chinese Orange Chicken (Crispy Chicken without Deep Frying)
Description
This version of Chinese Orange Chicken avoids deep frying by coating marinated chicken pieces with cornstarch and pan-frying them in vegetable oil until crisp. The sauce features dried or fresh tangerine/ orange peel rehydrated or thinly sliced, combined with orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and cornstarch to build a sticky, flavorful glaze. Garlic and green onions add aromatic notes during cooking.
Cooking involves rapidly stir-frying the chicken until crispy, then glazing with the thickened sauce to create a glossy finish. This method produces a textured, flavorful dish without the use of large amounts of oil typical in deep frying.
This recipe can be made using about 340 to 450 grams (12 to 16 ounces) of chicken breast or thigh, cut to bite size. Using fresh tangerine peel sliced very thinly enhances the flavor, texture, and presentation compared to zesting alone.
Ingredients
Sauce (Or use 1 cup pre-made orange sauce)
- 2 tablespoons Tangerine Peel or fresh orange peel, or fresh tangerine peel, dried
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or soy sauce, light
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (or 3 tablespoons if you prefer a sweet dish like takeout)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Marinade
- 14 oz chicken breast cut to 1” (2.5-cm) pieces (*footnote 1, boneless skinless or chicken thigh
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
Stir-fry
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 green onion , sliced (white part for cooking and green part for garnishing)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
Instructions
Sauce
- Place dried tangerine peel in a small bowl and add hot water to cover. Let soak for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tangerine peel softens. Drain and finely slice. Transfer 2 tablespoons of sliced tangerine peel to a bowl. You can save the rest of the rehydrated tangerine peel in an airtight container in the fridge for next time or discard it. If you do not use dried tangerine peel, grate an orange to make 1 tablespoon orange zest, or thinly slice 2 tablespoons of tangerine peel (*Footnote 2).
- Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the bowl with the tangerine peel. Mix well.
Prep chicken
- Combine chicken, oil, and salt in a big bowl. Mix well and let marinate for 15 minutes.
- When you’re ready to cook, add the beaten egg. Stir to mix well. Add cornstarch. Stir to coat chicken, until it forms an uneven coating with a little dry cornstarch left unattached.
Cook
- Heat oil in a large skillet until hot, just starting to smoke. Add chicken all at once and spread into a single layer in the skillet. Separate chicken pieces with a pair of tongs or chopsticks.
- Cook without touching the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden. Flip to brown the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a big plate and remove the pan from the stove. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes (very important, so the chicken crisps up further).
- Place the pan back on the stove and turn to medium heat. You should still have 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. If there’s too much oil, pour out or use paper towels to remove the excess oil. Add green onion and garlic. Cook and stir a few times until it releases fragrance.
- Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour into the pan. Stir and cook until it thickens.
- Add back the chicken. Stir to coat chicken with sauce. Transfer to a plate and serve hot as a main dish.
Notes
- Chicken quantity can range from 340 to 450 grams (12 to 16 ounces), allowing flexibility depending on servings.
- For fresh tangerine peel, use a peeler to remove only the outer skin very thinly, then slice finely to preserve desired flavor and texture over zesting.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2to 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 309 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 309kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 27.5g | 9% |
| Protein | 23.3g | 47% |
| Fat | 10.5g | 16% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.7g | 9% |
| Cholesterol | 104mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 619mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 493mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 0.6g | 2% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Calcium | 25mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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