Chinese Orange Chicken

Chinese Orange Chicken is an easy copycat recipe when you are craving take-out but SO MUCH BETTER because it takes just 30 minutes to make.

I don’t know about you – but I can’t get enough Chinese food. We used to have several places near our house when we lived in the city – from the mom & pop places to the big chain Panda Express just 5 minutes away. It was all too accessible.

But now that we don’t have take-out nearby, we are making our own out of our list of favorites. One of those favorites is this Orange Chicken recipe. It is as close as I have been able to recreate to a copycat recipe and it is SO GOOD! Try my Instant Pot White Rice to pair with this too!

What I really love about this mandarin chicken is that it is so crispy and that glaze is phenomenal. Plus it only takes 30 minutes to make.

That means that I can literally get this on the dinner table faster than it would take me to call in an order, drive there and back to pick it up, and get it all served. You really can’t beat that. I know you’ll love it as much as we do.

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is orange chicken?

With different variations originating in China, orange chicken is a popular dish made with chicken breast meat that has been battered and fried and then coated in a sweet and sour orange sauce. Some versions of the recipe also call for added ingredients like pineapple or green bell peppers.

Where was orange chicken created?

As I mentioned above, the base of the recipe would be from China. But the big chain Panda Express claims to be the actual creator of “Orange Chicken” as a variant to General Tso’s chicken or sweet and sour chicken. There’s no way to know for sure – but it sure is a delicious option.

How to store leftover orange chicken?

This chicken stores well. Just place any leftovers in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop the corner of the lid, add a small splash of water, and microwave until hot.

The chicken won’t be quite as crispy as when it was fresh – but still quite delicious.

What to serve with orange chicken

There are so many different recipes you can pair with this scrumptious dinner. But here is a list of our favorites when we are making our own “take-out”.

• Chicken Fried Rice
• Teriyaki Stir Fry
• Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
• Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli
• Homemade Fortune Cookies
• Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients for Orange Chicken

Chicken

• boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• large eggs
• all-purpose flour
• cornstarch
• salt
• black pepper
• Oil for frying

Sauce

• fresh orange juice or store bought
• soy sauce
• brown sugar
• rice wine vinegar
• orange zest
• sesame oil
• fresh garlic – minced
• fresh ginger – minced
• crushed red pepper flakes – more if you like it spicy
• water
• cornstarch

Serving

• Rice
• Green onions
• Toasted sesame seeds

How to Make Homemade Orange Chicken

Sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, orange zest, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, crused red pepper flakes.
2. Stir and cook over medium heat.
3. In a small bowl or jar with a lid, whisk together the water and cornstarch to make a slurry.
4. Slowly drizzle the slurry into the sauce, whisking constantly until the sauce begins to thicken.
5. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until sauce is to the desired consistency.
6. Remove from heat. Set aside.

Chicken

1. Trim the chicken and cut it into large chunks.
2. In a shallow bowl or dish, whisk the eggs.
3. In another bowl or dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper.
4. Dip the chicken in the wisked eggs and then in the flour mixture, place on baking sheet until oil is hot.
5. Heat the oil in large skillet to 350 degrees F.
6. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels.
7. Working in small batches, cook the chicken 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
8. Remove the cooked chicken from the oil and place on the prepared baking sheet.
9. Repeat with the rest of the chicken until it is all cooked.
10. Toss the cooked chicken in the prepared sauce.
11. Serve immediately with rice, green onions, and sesame seeds if desired.
12. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can this be made ahead of time?

Yes – you can make this dinner ahead of time. But keep in mind that the coating on the chicken will not be as crispy once you reheat it.

Can the chicken be baked instead of fried?

You won’t get the same texture as you would with frying it. I don’t recommend trying to bake it with the flour/cornstarch coating.

If you would like to bake – you can either season the chicken, bake, and add the sauce without a crunchy coating OR you can coat the chicken in panko instead of the flour before baking. Bake at 450 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Is orange chicken spicy?

No, not really. There is a little bit of a bite with the addition of the crushed red pepper flakes in the sauce. But if you only like the sauce to be sweet you can leave out the crushed red pepper.

How to make orange chicken in air fryer

This is the easy part – instead of frying the chicken in oil – working in batches, place the pieces in a preheated 350-degree air fryer, spray with oil and cook for about 5 minutes. Then flip them over and cook until golden and cooked through. So easy. CHECK OUT MY RECIPE FOR AIR FRYER ORANGE CHICKEN.

Can this be made without orange juice?

Well- it wouldn’t be orange chicken anymore, but if you want to change it up you can use pineapple juice instead. This will make it really similar to my pineapple chicken recipe – which is a real crowd-pleaser.

Can this recipe be cut in half?

Yes – if you are only cooking for 2, this recipe cuts in half easily. Also – if you need to double it, that works well too. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to cook all of the chicken – you don’t want to over-crowd it in the skillet.

Products I love when making this Chinese Orange Chicken…

This orange chicken recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade Chinese food recipes before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this savory dinner recipe. (you can also SHOP MY FAVORITES in my store)

• cookware – skillet and saucepan
• spider strainer
• prep bowls

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If you love this Easy Orange Chicken recipe, you’re going to love these other great recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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