Get my Cookbooks! Orange Chicken
This restaurant-style Orange Chicken recipe is fun to make at home and has the BEST sauce! Serve it over white rice for a delicious dinner that’s truly better than takeout!
Orange Chicken
I honestly wish I had the guts to tackle this recipe years ago, because it is amazingly good, it’s so much better than takeout. The balance of ingredients in the sauce is so spot on and perfect, (if I do say so myself)! The chicken is super crispy, and every bite is amazing. I love to serve this over white rice with green onions sprinkled on top. My family goes crazy for it.
It takes a little bit of time to prepare, but honestly, the end result is so entirely worth it! Be sure to check out my PRO TIPS below, but first, check out what makes the sauce so amazing:
About the Sauce:
If you like your sauce to have a good amount of orange flavor, orange juice and orange zest is the way to go. If you want a little less orange intensity, stick to using orange juice only. (Personally, I use them both.)
This sauce also uses white and brown sugar which adds more complexity to the sweet element. A little chicken broth and soy sauce ensures there is also savory and umami flavors represented, along with some fresh garlic, ginger, a hint of hot sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. I’m telling you, it’s PERFECT!
How to Make It
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Pat dry, season with salt/pepper, and toss with 2 tbsp. cornstarch. Transfer to a bowl with whisked eggs and toss to coat.
Remove a few pieces of chicken at a time, letting excess egg drip off. Transfer them in batches to a bowl with flour/cornstarch/baking soda. Fry until crispy and transfer to cooling racks.
Bring the orange sauce mixture to a boil until thickened. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Serve over white rice and sprinkle with green onions!
Air Frying
Although you’ll yield the best flavor and texture from frying in vegetable/canola/peanut oil, you can also air fry as follows:
- Coat the chicken as outlined. Spray or brush each piece with oil, lightly coating all sides. Preheat the air fryer to 375°. Cook for 10-13 minutes, flipping halfway through. Immediately toss in prepared orange sauce.
Pro Tips
- Orange Zest: This adds a nice additional punch of orange flavor to the sauce. If you prefer the orange flavor to be more subtle, feel free to leave it out or use half the amount.
- Hot Sauce: This elevates the other flavors and won’t make this dish spicy. I use Frank’s Hot Sauce.
- Make sure the oil is sufficiently heated before you fry the chicken, it should fry immediately. Otherwise it won’t be as crispy.
- Peanut Oil can be used for frying as well, it adds a nice flavor that pairs well with this recipe.
- Make adjustments to the heat (up/down), as needed throughout frying. I usually have to turn the heat down slightly after the first batch is fried.
- Fry in batches and leave room around the chicken to make sure the edges get crispy.
- Clean as you go. By the time I’m ready to fry, I’ve wiped down the counter and I always wash the dishes as I go. This way you’re not left with a big mess to clean up afterward.
- Shortcut! Purchase store-bought popcorn chicken, nuggets, or tenders and prepare according to package instructions. Toss in prepared orange sauce and serve!
- Try this sauce on my own Popcorn Chicken, Chicken Tenders, or Fried Shrimp next!
- Be sure to try my Hot Honey Chicken next! It’s super crispy and baked, not fried! My Firecracker Chicken is also amazing!
Storage
- This dish is best if served fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake at 375° F for 10-15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links*)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Zester– I use this to zest the orange and mince the ginger. (Fresh ginger is wonderful in this recipe).
- Oil and Meat Thermometer– Take out the guess work!
- Slotted Spatula– I use this to remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a wire cooling rack. It allows excess oil to drip underneath which keeps it crispy.
- Kitchen Tongs– I use these when tossing the chicken in the cornstarch/flour mixture and while frying the chicken.
- Wire Cooling Racks– Placing the chicken on this after frying allows excess oil to drop from the bottom, keeping it extra crispy.
- Large Baking Sheet– I use this light colored baking sheet. There is plenty of room- for all of the chicken.
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Try These Next
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- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
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- Hot Honey Chicken
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- Mongolian Beef
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- Beef Lo Mein
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- Egg Roll in a Bowl
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- Shrimp Fried Rice
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Orange Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, or thighs
- Salt/Pepper
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- ½ cup cornstarch, + 2 additional tablespoons, divided
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Sauce
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, can sub white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger, or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, optional- see notes
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Topping
- Green onions
Instructions
Prep Work
- Set wire cooling racks over a baking sheet or parchment/wax paper. This will keep the chicken crispy after it’s fried. You can also use a paper towel lined plate if needed.
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan and set aside. (Make sure the ingredients aren’t warm/hot so the cornstarch isn’t activated.)
- Combine the flour, ½ cup cornstarch, and baking soda in a large bowl until well combined.
Bread the Chicken
- Cut the chicken into 2-inch pieces and pat completely dry. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Whisk the eggs vigorously in a medium bowl until small air pockets form and it’s very uniform in color. Add the chicken and toss to coat until no sides are dry.
- Remove a few pieces at a time, letting excess egg drip off. Transfer to the cornstarch/flour mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to a plate and repeat until all the chicken is coated.
Fry the Chicken
- Heat oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 365° F. Use enough oil to cover the chicken by about three-quarters.
- Ensure the oil is sufficiently heated, then fry the chicken in batches, leaving room around each to ensure the edges get crispy. Flip once the bottom of the chicken is crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Make small adjustments to the heat (up or down) throughout cooking as needed.
- Use a slotted spatula to transfer the chicken to wire cooling racks.
Heat the Sauce
- Heat the sauce mixture over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once thickened, remove from heat. If desired, transfer to a large mixing bowl to make it easier to toss the chicken.
Toss and Serve
- Add the chicken to the sauce and toss to coat well.
- Serve over white rice (see notes) or vegetable fried rice. Garnish with green onions and serve!
Notes
- Orange Zest: This adds a nice additional punch of orange flavor to the sauce. If you prefer the orange flavor to be more subtle, feel free to leave it out or use half the amount.
- Hot Sauce: This elevates the other flavors and won't make this dish spicy. I use Frank's Hot Sauce.
- Make sure the oil is sufficiently heated before you fry the chicken, it should fry immediately. Otherwise it won’t be as crispy.
- Peanut Oil can be used for frying as well, it adds a nice flavor that pairs well with this recipe.
- Make adjustments to the heat (up/down), as needed throughout frying. I usually have to turn the heat down slightly after the first batch is fried.
- Fry in batches and leave room around the chicken to make sure the edges get crispy.
- Clean as you go. By the time I’m ready to fry, I’ve wiped down the counter and I always wash the dishes as I go. This way you’re not left with a big mess to clean up afterward.
- Shortcut! Purchase store-bought popcorn chicken, nuggets, or tenders and prepare according to package instructions. Toss in prepared orange sauce and serve!
- Try this sauce on my own Popcorn Chicken, Chicken Tenders, or Fried Shrimp next!
- Be sure to try my Hot Honey Chicken next! It’s super crispy and baked, not fried! My Firecracker Chicken is also amazing!
Storage:
- This dish is best if served fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake at 375° F for 10-15 minutes, stiffing halfway through.
Making Perfectly Cooked Rice: I love serving this with 3 cups of white long grain rice. Here is how I make it:
- Bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil.
- Add 1 cup of white long grain rice and let the liquid come back up to a boil.
- Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let it stand in the pot for 10 minutes with the lid on, any rice stuck to the bottom will release.
- This yields 3 cups of flavorful, perfectly cooked rice. I use a Dutch oven for this which conducts heat well.
- Note that other varieties of rice may require different liquid measurements and/or cooking times.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
