Description
Make better than takeout orange chicken at home in under 30 minutes. This recipe delivers crispy chicken pieces coated in a sweet, tangy, and sticky orange sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for pan-frying)
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (slurry)
- Zest of 1 orange
- Cooked white rice and steamed broccoli, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the cut chicken pieces with the beaten egg.
- In a separate shallow dish, combine the flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Dredge the egg-coated chicken pieces in the flour mixture until lightly coated.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and orange zest. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry and pour it slowly into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 1 minute.
- Return the crispy chicken pieces to the skillet or a clean large bowl. Pour the orange sauce over the chicken and toss gently until every piece is evenly coated and sticky.
- Serve immediately over white rice with steamed broccoli on the side.
Notes
- For extra crispy chicken, you can bake the coated pieces at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes instead of pan-frying.
- For an air fryer method, spray the coated chicken lightly with oil and cook at 380°F (195°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway.
- If you prefer a less sweet sauce, reduce the sugar by 1 to 2 tablespoons.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 32
- Cholesterol: 90