Orange Chicken

This homemade orange chicken tastes just as good, if not better than Chinese takeout! The chicken pieces are briefly marinated and deep fried to crispy golden perfection and tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce full of orange flavors.

Like sesame chicken and General Tso's chicken, orange chicken is one of the top 5 most popular dishes offered at Chinese restaurants, and rightly so! The chicken is super juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, coated in a beautiful orange sauce.

Now you can make this takeout-style orange chicken at home without step by step photo reference and detailed instructions. And did I mention, our orange chicken recipe is gluten free and takes only 30 minutes? 😉

Jump to:

• What to eat with orange chicken
• Ingredients and substitutions
• How to make orange chicken
• Recipe tips
• Storage
• Reheating
• What to do with leftover oil
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Feedback

What to eat with orange chicken

Some popular sides to enjoy with orange chicken are:

• Fried rice or white rice - Chinese takeouts are great with white rice but is amazing with egg fried rice and shrimp fried rice as well!
• Veggies - Steamed broccoli is the classic vegetable served with orange chicken. But some sautéed garlic bok choy is also a great choice!
• Noodle dishes - Shrimp lo mein is always a great choice or this 10 minute sesame noodle!
• Soups - Egg drop soup and hot and sour soups are always our go-to classic to serve with Chinese takeout.

Ingredients and substitutions

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!

For the chicken:

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs - Chicken thighs will always give you the juiciest and most flavorful chicken dishes, but if you prefer, you could use chicken breasts. Do note that the chicken may be slightly drier if using breasts.
• Water - The water added to the chicken will get absorbed, which helps to keep the chicken thighs extra juicy, even after frying.
• Baking soda - Only a small amount of baking soda is needed. This is to slightly tenderize the chicken and help the chicken absorb and retain moisture better.
• Salt - For marinating/ seasoning the chicken. We used kosher salt, but you can use fine salt as well.
• Egg - Eggs will not only will bind the batter, they will also make the batter taste better and give the chicken a nice color.
• Cornstarch - This will make the chicken extra crispy. Plus, the fried chicken pieces will be gluten free! If you are allergic to cornstarch you can substitute with potato starch.
• Oil - Just a small amount of oil is needed. This is to help separate the chicken pieces and create a thin layer of protection to prevent your fried chicken pieces from becoming greasy.

For the orange chicken sauce:

• Oranges - We recommend using fresh oranges. The juice will be for the sauce and some zest will give the orange sauce more orange flavor.
• Ketchup - This will give the orange sauce a prettier, redder color and add some sweet and tang to the sauce.
• Sugar - To sweeten the sauce more. You can adjust the amount used to your preference and depending on how sweet the oranges are.
• White vinegar - To give the orange sauce some tang. If you prefer less tanginess, you can use less vinegar. If you don't have regular white vinegar, you could substitute with apple cider vinegar or regular rice vinegar (not the seasoned ones).
• Cornstarch - For thickening the sauce and to also make the sauce glossy. Potato starch is a good substitute if you don't want to use cornstarch.

Additional ingredients:

• Garlic - To make the orange sauce more fragrant.
• Chinese ground chili pepper - To add some spiciness to the orange sauce. You could use crushed red pepper if you don't have Chinese ground chili pepper.
• Whole dry pepper (optional) - For garnish.
• Green onion - The whites of the green onion will add more flavor to the sauce and the greens will be used for garnish.
• Oil - As needed for cooking and frying. Any neutral oil will do.

How to make orange chicken

Marinate the chicken:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared chicken thighs, water, baking soda, and salt. Vigorously mix until the water is mostly absorbed by the chicken.

2. Once the chicken has mostly absorbed the water, add the eggs and mix until well combined. Following, add the cornstarch and mix until evenly combined and no more dry cornstarch is visible. Finish by adding the oil and mixing until evenly combined.

🌟 Pro tip: If you have time, marinate the chicken over night or for a few hours. This will ensure the chicken is well marinated and that the batter doesn't come off. But even if you fry it immediately, the chicken will be just as tasty!

Prepare the orange sauce:

Prepare the orange chicken sauce by mixing together the orange juice, orange zest, ketchup, sugar, vinegar, cornstarch in a bowl or a large measuring cup. Mix well and set aside. You can also have the sauce made ahead of time.

Fry the chicken:

1. In a wok or tall pan, add about 2 to 3 inches of oil. Heat the oil until it reaches 375°F.

2. When the oil is hot, maintain the heat around 375°F. With your hand or your gloved hand, gently place the marinated chicken pieces into the hot oil, one at a time, until there's an even layer. Don't overcrowd the pan and fry in batches if needed!

3. Fry the chicken pieces for about 4 to 5 minutes, then remove the chicken out of the oil and let drain for about 2 to 3 minutes. While frying, occasionally stir the chicken pieces and try to break up any pieces that are stuck together.

4. Make sure the oil is back at 375°F and add the fried chicken pieces into the oil for a second fry. Let the chicken pieces fry for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and let the fried chicken drain on paper towels or a rack.

Make the orange chicken:

1. In a wok or large pan over medium heat, add a small amount of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the white parts of the green onion, minced garlic, and chili peppers. Stir fry for 10 to 15 seconds or until fragrant.

2. Give the prepared sauce a good mix and pour it into the wok. Increase the heat to medium high and cook the sauce until bubbly, thicker, and glossy. Make sure to stir the sauce frequently to prevent uneven thickening, especially when the sauce starts to bubble.

3. When the sauce is ready, add the fried chicken pieces. Stir and toss until all the chicken pieces are evenly coated.

4. Serve immediately with white rice or fried rice and garnish with the green parts of the green onion. Enjoy!

Recipe tips

• Marinate the chicken overnight or for a few hours if you have the time. This will ensure the chicken is well seasoned and that the batter stays intact on the chicken.
• Try your best to cut the chicken thighs into same size pieces to ensure even cooking.
• Keep the oil temperature around 375°F so that the chicken is fried properly. If the oil temperature is too low, the chicken will be greasy. Too hot, and the chicken may overcook and become dry.
• Break up any chicken pieces that may have become stuck together during the initial frying.

Storage

Orange chicken is best enjoyed soon after making. If you have any leftover, let the chicken cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. It'll stay good in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

If you plan on making extra, fry the chicken pieces for a couple extra minutes during the first fry. Let them cool completely and skip the second fry. Freezing them on a tray or plate, and once frozen, you can store them in freezer bags or airtight containers. They will be good for up to 2 to 3 months.

Reheating

Leftover sesame chicken that's already coated with sauce is best reheated in the microwave until hot. Do note that it will not be crispy like when it was just made.

If you made extra fried chicken pieces that are not coated in sauce and froze it, you can defrost it completely to fry, bake, or air fry. Frozen chicken pieces can be air fried as well.

To fry, defrosted chicken pieces can be fried at 375°F for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. We DO NOT recommend deep frying frozen chicken pieces.

For air frying, both defrosted and frozen ones can be air fried at 400°F. Defrosted chicken takes about 5 to 10 minutes and frozen ones take about 15 to 20 minutes. You can also bake the chicken at 425°F, following the same times used for air frying. Just arrange the chicken on a baking sheet with foil and flip the chicken midway through baking.

FAQ

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