Orange Chicken
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
15 mins
-
Cook Time
20 mins
-
Total Time
35 mins
-
Servings
6 servings
-
Calories
370 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Chinese
Orange Chicken
Description
The chicken is coated first in a mixture of cornstarch and flour, then dipped in beaten eggs before frying to a golden brown at 350°F. This produces a crisp exterior that holds up well under the rich, sticky orange sauce. The sauce is prepared by combining fresh orange juice, sugar, rice or white vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, chili flakes, sesame oil, and zest, which is thickened by a cornstarch slurry cooked until glossy and smooth.
Once the chicken is fried, it is tossed in the hot sauce to evenly coat each piece, preserving the crispness of the batter beneath the flavorful glaze. Green onions are sprinkled on top to add mild onion flavor and visual contrast.
This orange chicken is best served warm, pairing well with steamed rice or vegetables to balance the sweet and tangy sauce. The sauce can be warmed up ahead to streamline the cooking process. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for several days and can be reheated gently to preserve texture.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 4 chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 egg
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup flour
- cooking oil for frying
Orange Chicken Sauce:
- 1 cup orange juice fresh
- 1/2 cup sugar
- ¼ cup rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce use tamari for gluten-free
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder finely diced, or 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- orange zest from 2 oranges
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Garnish:
- green onions chopped
Instructions
For the sauce:
- Mix all the ingredients for the sauce except the corn starch in a bowl and set aside. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water or orange juice in a small bowl and set aside.
- Pour the sauce into a large skillet and place over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce is bubbling, stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until thickened about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside until the chicken is fried.
For the chicken
- Fill a Dutch oven or large skillet with about an inch of oil then place over medium high heat. Monitor temp with a thermometer, you'll want it to be 350F when you start frying.
- Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk together and mix the chicken pieces in the egg.
- Whisk the flour and cornstarch together in a large bowl. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and set aside on a plate or paper towels.
- Fry the chicken in batches. Cook until golden brown (2-3 minutes) then flip over and fry on the other side. Once golden transfer to a plate lined with paper and continue frying the remaining chicken in batches. Keep the orange sauce warm on a low heat while frying the chicken.
- Add the fried chicken to the warmed orange sauce and toss to cover then sprinkle with green onion and serve over rice.
Notes
- Warm the orange sauce while frying the chicken to save time.
- Adjust spiciness by adding fresh chili or red chili flakes to taste.
- Use 100% orange juice with zest for authentic flavor; store-bought juice can be used if fresh is unavailable.
- Leftovers keep well for 3-4 days refrigerated or can be frozen for longer storage.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 370 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 370kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 42g | 14% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 103mg | 34% |
| Sodium | 616mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 420mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 20g | 40% |
| Vitamin A | 251IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 27mg | 30% |
| Calcium | 25mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
