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5.0 from 36 votes

Orange Chicken Recipe

This Orange Chicken Recipe of batter fried chicken in a sweet orange sour sauce is the perfect weeknight Chinese meal for family and friends.

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

Ingredients

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

  • Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 hour ahead, but keep the chicken separate from the sauce. Keep both warm before tossing and serving.
  • How to Reheat: Add a few tablespoons of cooking oil to a large wok over medium heat, add your desired amount of orange chicken to the wok, and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until hot.
  • How to Store: Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will not freeze well.
  • The batter should resemble a thick tempura-style batter when mixing the flour and cornstarch with the marinated chicken. Add a few tablespoons of water or another egg if it's dry.
  • To make a slurry, mix 1 tablespoon of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until combined.
  • Substitute the fresh ginger and garlic with 1 teaspoon each of dry ginger and garlic.
  • Another soy sauce substitute is coconut aminos.

Nutrition Information

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

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

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.