Orange Chicken Recipe
Make this easy Orange Chicken recipe with juicy chicken, a sweet-tangy citrus sauce, and simple pantry ingredients. A crowd-pleasing dinner idea that’s better than takeout!
This easy Orange Chicken recipe comes together in under an hour, making it the perfect solution for busy weeknights when you’re craving something flavorful but simple. Made with juicy chicken and a sweet-tangy orange sauce, it delivers all the bold citrus flavor you love without the hassle of takeout.
Using basic pantry ingredients, this homemade Orange Chicken is quick to prep and easy to customize. Serve it over rice, alongside steamed vegetables, or as part of a cozy family dinner. It’s a crowd-pleasing dinner idea that tastes even better than your favorite restaurant version. That’s why it made our list of the best summer chicken recipes!
What is Orange Chicken?
Orange chicken consists of stir-fried chopped, battered, and fried chicken cuts. This popular dish is coated in a sweet caramelized orange chili sauce. Though it’s Chinese-inspired, orange chicken actually originated in the United States. So you’ll find it on the menu of more North American Chinese restaurants than in China. Orange chicken is a variation of General Tso’s chicken.
Ingredients Needed
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts: Cut chicken into 1 ½” bite-sized pieces. You’re going to need boneless skinless chicken for this recipe. But whether you use thighs or breasts is up to you. We prefer thighs, which are dark meat. Chicken thighs have higher fat content and are generally more tender and flavorful when cooked. However, if you prefer white meat, chicken breasts will taste great too! Just be careful not to overcook it, and dry it out.
- Orange juice
- Soy sauce
- Flour: For crispy coating
- Rice vinegar: For tang
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Ginger
- Ground pepper
- Eggs
- Garlic
- Red chili flakes
- Orange zest
- Neutral flavored oil: Like canola oil, vegetable oil, etc.
- Sliced green onions: Optional for garnishing
How to Make Orange Chicken
Make the orange sauce:
1 — In a medium saucepan, add a few teaspoons of orange juice, the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and orange zest. Cook over medium heat briefly until fragrant, stirring often to release their flavors.
2 — Stir in the cornstarch and remaining orange juice into the saucepan. Cook, whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy rather than cloudy. This indicates the cornstarch has fully cooked, ensuring a smooth, flavorful sauce without any starchy aftertaste.
Prep the chicken:
1 — Mix the flour, cornstarch and salt in a shallow dish.
2 — Whisk the eggs in a separate dish.
3 — Dip and cover the chicken in the beaten eggs.
4 — Toss the cut chicken in flour mixture until evenly coated.
Cook the chicken:
1 — Heat 2-inches of oil in a deep skillet on medium-high heat until shimmering.
It should be very hot. Make sure there is room in the pan for the chicken as well. So make sure that the sides of the skillet are high enough that you won’t have hot oil splashing you while you cook.
2 — Fry chicken in batches in the hot oil until golden and cooked through. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the cooked chicken to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
The breading should be a light golden brown, and you can cut it into a piece to make sure that they are cooked through. They will soak up any excess oil, keep the breading from becoming soggy, and repeatedly the cooking with any remaining chicken pieces. We like to use metal tongs when working with hot oil. If it doesn’t immediately start sizzling, the oil isn’t hot enough, and you need to let it heat up more.
3 — Toss the chicken in the orange sauce until it’s completely coated. You want to make sure that all of your chicken has that lovely orange sauce all over it.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Crispy coating: Don’t overcrowd the pan. This keeps the chicken crispy, not soggy.
- Sauce thickness: Whisk in a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water) if your sauce needs extra body.
- Cooking with hot oil: When it’s hot enough to cook food, oil can easily cause burns. Use caution when working with it! Protect your hands, face, and clothes from splatters as much as possible. Furthermore, always use long-handled metal utensils as plastic can melt.
- Serve immediately: Orange chicken is best enjoyed right after tossing with the sauce while the coating is still crispy.
How to Reheat & Store Orange Chicken
If you are planning to make your orange chicken ahead of time, we recommend storing the chicken and sauce in the refrigerator. And then, heating them separately in airtight containers.
To reheat:
- Lay the chicken out on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until it’s heated through and the breading is crispy.
- Reheat the sauce in a saucepan. After that, toss the chicken in it before serving.
Did you know that you can cook your chicken ahead of time and freeze it? In fact, we almost always make a double batch and freeze half of it for a super easy, quick dinner. After frying and cooling it, simply place it in a freezer storage bag, and it’ll keep for up to two months.
We don’t recommend freezing the cooked sauce, as the ice crystals that will form break down the cornstarch and ruin the consistency. However, you can mix it all ahead of time and freeze it. Then, simply thaw and whisk the mixture up before cooking.
To reheat orange chicken that has been frozen: Just allow it to thaw and cook the same way you would after refrigeration.
More Easy Recipes to Try
So next time that craving for Chinese food hits, don’t order in and risk eating unhealthy additives. Instead, whip up this easy orange chicken recipe and enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal that’s good for you too! You can pair this with these simple and easy to make asparagus and poached egg salad. For other easy dinner ideas, check out a few favorites from our archives below —
- One Pan Rosemary Baked Lemon Chicken
- Easy Turkey Chili
- Hawaiian Huli Huli Chicken Kebabs
- Whole30 Avocado Chicken Wraps
- Roasted Garlic White Bean Alfredo
- Instant Pot Easy White Bean & Vegetable Soup
- Cacio E Pepe Pasta
Equipment
- Wok or heavy skillet
- Medium saucepan
- Shallow container
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into 1 1/2” bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- Green onions sliced, optional for garnish
- Neutral flavored oil like canola, vegetable, etc.
For the sauce:
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 2 cloves garlic freshly minced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- 1 orange zest about 1 1/2 tbsp from 1 orange
Instructions
To make the orange sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, add a few teaspoons of orange juice, the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and orange zest. Cook over medium heat briefly until fragrant, stirring often to release their flavors.
- Stir in the cornstarch and remaining orange juice into the saucepan. Cook, whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy rather than cloudy.
To prep the chicken:
- Mix the flour, cornstarch and salt in a shallow dish.
- Whisk the eggs in a separate dish.
- Dip and cover the chicken in the beaten eggs.
- Toss the cut chicken in flour mixture until evenly coated.
To cook the chicken:
- Heat 2-inches of oil in a deep skillet on medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Fry chicken in batches in the hot oil until golden and cooked through. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the cooked chicken to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Cook for 2 minutes, or until the breading is golden brown and crispy.
- Toss the chicken in the orange sauce until it’s completely coated.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe? Share your Orange Chicken with us on Instagram, using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? Find them all right here!
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What a fantastic weeknight dinner orange chicken makes! In our home, it’s a favourite! We must give your recipe a try soon!
I have gone through most of your recipes but I can’t decide which one is my favorite. You never fail to impress me with your yummy recipes whether it is desserts, soups, sausages, main dishes or chicken dishes. You are just perfect.
Aww. Shucks. Thanks, Jake! :) This made us so happy to hear!
Orange chicken is such a great weeknight meal! It’s a favorite in our house! We’ll have to try your recipe soon!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Let us know how it turns out! XOXO
I wish I’d had this recipe last week before I went through the Chinese drive thru for my orange chicken fix…..twice.
Ohhhh…. you’re an orange chicken fan like us too!
This is so much better than any take out. The sauce is delicious and not too sweet.
Yay! So glad to hear! XOXO
This was the best orange chicken I’ve ever made…sooo good!
We’re happy you loved it, Stephanie!