Easy Orange Chicken
No need to order take-out tonight with this Easy Orange Chicken recipe! Tender bites of chicken are tossed in a seasoned flour mixture, pan fried to perfection and tossed in the very BEST orange sauce. You’ll never crave take-out again once you master this quick and easy recipe!
Easy Orange Chicken
Did anyone else spend the early 2000’s strolling around the mall food court, grabbing free samples of orange chicken from Panda Express? I feel like that’s a universal experience, but maybe it’s just me! I even went to the mall food court on a date once, we never went out again after that.
Orange chicken is one of those entrees that I feel like everyone loves. At least so far, I’ve yet to meet someone who turns their nose up at it. The best part? It’s SO easy to make at home and way better than the mall fare!
Tender bites of boneless, skinless chicken (you can use breast or thigh meat) gets tossed in a seasoned flour mixture, cooked on your stove top in just a few minutes, then coated in the very best orange sauce. It’s easy to make this entree in just 30 minutes or less. Perfect for those busy weeknights when the family is requesting Chinese!
And when I say that this orange sauce is the very best, I mean it. Orange juice and zest come together to create the most vibrant, fresh flavor. Other ingredients like brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and more help to create the most satisfying combination of bold flavors. The best part? You control what goes into the homemade sauce, which means no artificial preservatives or additives.
How to Make Orange Chicken
Take a quick look at how easy this orange chicken recipe really is! For more precise step by step instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Prepare the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Whisk together cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken.
- Cook the chicken. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan and steam the chicken! Cook the chicken until golden brown and fully cooked, then remove it from the pan and repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
- Make the orange sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, orange zest, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, green onion, rice wine and cornstarch. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the garlic just until fragrant. Then, lower the heat and stir in the sauce, cooking until thickened.
- Toss it all together. Add the chicken to the pan with the sauce and toss it all together to coat.
Storing and Reheating
Once the chicken is fully cooled to room temperature, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend reheating it right back in the pan over medium-low heat so you maintain the original consistency. Of course, the microwave also work if you’re in a time crunch!
What kind of chicken should I use?
You can use chicken breasts or thighs! The choice is entirely up to your preference. Just make sure that whichever option you go with, it’s boneless and skinless. Also, try to cut all of the chicken in similarly sized pieces so they all cook evenly.
Why do I have to cook the chicken in batches?
If you try to cook all of the chicken at one time in the skillet, there’s a big chance that you’ll end up overcrowding the pan and steaming the chicken. Keep your coated chicken crispy by cooking it in batches!
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Get the Recipe: Orange Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup green onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons rice wine, mirin
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Instructions
- Place the chicken on a plate and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- While the oil is heating, dredge half the chicken in the cornstarch mixture and then add to the pan in a single layer with the oil.
- Cook the chicken until golden brown on all sides, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer to a clean plate or platter and repeat with the remaining chicken. (Be sure to work in batches so the chicken gets golden brown instead of crowding the pan which will steam the chicken.)
- While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, orange zest, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, green onion, rice wine and cornstarch in a medium bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in the sauce mixture.
- Simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes or until beginning to thicken.
- Add the chicken to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce.
- Serve immediately over rice, if desired.