Description
A flavorful and crispy Chinese Orange Chicken recipe featuring tender chicken pieces coated in a tangy and sweet orange sauce, perfect for a homemade Asian-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed preferred
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
Garnish
- Green onions, chopped
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: In a large bowl, toss the bite-sized chicken pieces with ½ cup of cornstarch until they are evenly coated. This ensures a crispy exterior once fried.
- Dip in eggs: Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces into the beaten eggs, allowing any excess to drip off before frying.
- Fry the chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in batches, frying until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove the fried chicken and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make the sauce base: In a separate pan, heat a small drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add the minced ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add sauce ingredients: Pour in the soy sauce, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and rice vinegar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Thicken the sauce: Stir in the cornstarch slurry slowly, continuously stirring until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Add the fried chicken to the thickened sauce and toss to coat each piece evenly. Cook together for another 2–3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the chicken to heat through.
- Garnish and serve: Transfer the orange chicken to a serving dish and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot, ideally with steamed white rice or fried rice.
Notes
- Substitute chicken with tofu to make a vegetarian version of this dish.
- For a complete meal, serve with steamed white rice or fried rice.
- Add steamed broccoli or bell peppers to increase vegetable intake and add color.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
