Is Orange Chicken an authentic Chinese dish?

No, Orange Chicken is not found in traditional Chinese cuisine. In fact, rumor has it that the recipe was invented by the American fast food chain, Panda Express.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

We don't recommend it. This recipe is best served hot and fresh. Otherwise, the chicken may become a bit soggy.

Do I have to use peanut oil for frying?

Due to its high smoke point and nutty flavor, peanut oil works best for this recipe. However, you could also use sesame oil or canola oil.

Orange Chicken Recipe

Name: Orange Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 cup chicken broth; 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice; zest of one orange; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1/3 cup Asian seasoned rice vinegar; 1/4 cup regular soy sauce or Tamari; 4 cloves garlic, finely minced; 2 TB Sriracha, depending on desired heat level; 1 tsp ground ginger; 2 TB cornstarch, fully dissolved in 2 TB water; 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size chunks; 1 cup cornstarch, in a pie pan; 2 large eggs, beaten, in a pie pan; 1 cup peanut oil for frying; Optional: sesame seeds and green onions for garnish

Orange Chicken Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews

Orange Chicken is a popular dish at any Chinese restaurant. Learn this simple method to make your own sweet and spicy Orange Chicken Recipe at home. Pairs well with rice.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Marinade:

1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
zest of one orange
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup Asian seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup regular soy sauce or Tamari
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 TB Sriracha, depending on desired heat level
1 tsp ground ginger
2 TB cornstarch, fully dissolved in 2 TB water

For the Chicken:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size chunks
1 cup cornstarch, in a pie pan
2 large eggs, beaten, in a pie pan
1 cup peanut oil for frying
Optional: sesame seeds and green onions for garnish

Instructions

Make the Marinade: Combine all marinade ingredients together in a bowl, and whisk to incorporate well. Combine chicken with 1/2 cup of the marinade, making sure that all pieces are thoroughly covered with the marinade. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer.
Boil and Thicken: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring remaining marinade to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken as it gets to a boil. Once sauce is thickened, turn heat off. Keep sauce warm while you fry the chicken.
Drain: Remove the chicken from the marinade, and discard leftover sauce.
Coat: Dip chicken pieces a few at a time into the pan of beaten eggs. Let excess eggs drip off, and dredge chicken pieces in the pan of cornstarch. Press to coat well. Repeat until all pieces are coated.
Fry: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high to high heat, until oil is very hot. Add chicken pieces, taking care not to overcrowd, and fry until cooked through, about 1-2 min. Place fried chicken on paper towels, and work in batches until all chicken is fried.
Toss and Serve: Combine the chicken with warm sauce, and serve immediately. Serve over rice and garnish as desired.

Notes

For gluten-free recipe, use Tamari sauce in place of soy sauce.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating 🙂

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 375
Sugar: 29.3 g
Sodium: 810.3 mg
Fat: 12.4 g
Carbohydrates: 33.5 g
Fiber: 0.3 g
Protein: 30.8 g
Cholesterol: 177 mg

Category: dinner, main
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Asian
Diet: Gluten Free

Keywords: chicken, orange chicken, Asian, chicken recipe