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Orange Chicken Recipe
5 from 36 votes

Orange Chicken Recipe

The Orange Chicken recipe involves cubed chicken breast coated in a wet batter made from eggs, flour, cornstarch, and seasonings, which is fried until lightly browned and cooked through. It is served with a bright orange sauce made from fresh orange juice and zest combined with Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and aromatics like ginger and garlic. This method yields tender chicken with a crispy coating and a balanced sweet-tangy sauce.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 352 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

For the Sauce:
  • orange zest of 1 large
  • orange about ¾ cup total, juice of 2 large
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 mild chili optional hand ground, or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 garlic finely grated, cloves
  • 1 fresh ginger peeled, finely grated, inch chunk
For the Chicken:
  • 2 pounds chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into 1” cubes
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 egg large
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 2 teaspoons salt coarse
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a medium-sized bowl add the orange zest, orange juice, water, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and optional chili flakes and mix to combine. Set it to the side.
  2. Cut the chicken into roughly 1-inch cubes. Place them in a large bowl.
  3. In the bowl with the chicken add in the Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, water, and eggs and mix until thoroughly combined.
  4. Next, mix in the corn starch, flour, salt, and white pepper until combined. It should be a wet batter like tempura.
  5. Add about 1 cup or so of cooking oil to a large wok or non-stick skillet and heat over medium heat until it reaches 350°.
  6. Place in individual battered chicken pieces at a time until the pan is full without getting the chicken to close to one another to avoid clumping.
  7. Cook the chicken for 1 minute before using a slotted spoon to move the chicken pieces around and cooking for a further 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked throughout.
  8. Repeat the process by cooking the chicken in batches and draining on a plate with paper towels.
  9. Once the chicken is done, drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and over low to medium heat add in the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 to 45 seconds or just until fragrant.
  10. Pour in the orange sauce and turn the heat to medium.
  11. Once the sauce begins to gently bubble add the slurry 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time until it becomes silky and thick.
  12. Place in the cooked fried chicken and toss until coated.
  13. Serve the orange chicken with an optional garnish of sesame seeds.

Notes

  • You can prepare the orange chicken up to 1 hour ahead but keep chicken separate from the sauce and warm both before serving.
  • To reheat, stir fry chicken in a hot wok with a little oil for 2 to 3 minutes until hot.
  • Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; this dish does not freeze well.
  • The batter should be thick and tempura-like; add a little water or an extra egg if too dry.
  • To thicken the sauce, mix 1 tablespoon water with 1 tablespoon cornstarch before adding.
  • Dried ginger and garlic powder can substitute fresh ginger and garlic at 1 teaspoon each.
  • Coconut aminos can be used as an alternative to soy sauce if desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories 352kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 36g (72%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 3g (15%) Trans Fat 0.02g (1%) Cholesterol 151mg (50%) Sodium 1473mg (61%) Potassium 620mg (13%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 125IU (3%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 25mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 352

% Daily Value*

Calories 352kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 36g 72%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 0.02g 1%
Cholesterol 151mg 50%
Sodium 1473mg 61%
Potassium 620mg 13%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 125IU 3%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 25mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.