OMG. This Easy Orange Chicken recipe is, without a doubt, STILL one of my all-time favorite take-out fake-out recipes I’ve ever shared on the blog! (I’m so happy I finally gave this recipe a try all the way back in 2017 😉 I’ve never looked back since!) The chicken pieces are tender, juicy, and lightly breaded, and the sauce is sweet, tangy, and spicy, with a whoosh of fresh orangey citrus flavor. It’s absolutely perfect and SO fast and easy!
“This is the best orange chicken I’ve ever eaten! I love how natural tasting it is, not like the gloppy, neon, super-sugary kind at restaurants. This is so fresh and delicious!”
Tom
Orange chicken is a Chinese American dish with juicy chunks of crispy fried chicken drenched in a simple orange chili glaze. The sauce is sweet, tangy, salty, and savory, hitting all of the best flavors at once! My orange chicken recipe is the perfect dupe, but I’ve modified it a bit to make it easier for home kitchens.
I really don’t like deep-fried food, but I can’t deny that a little bit of fried flavor helps dishes like this feel more authentic (and by “authentic,” I mean tasting like your local take-out joint). So, for this recipe, I use the same pan-fry method as I do in my easy sesame chicken. I coat the chicken pieces in a thin cornstarch and egg batter, then fry them with a small amount of oil in a skillet until golden brown. This batter and pan-fry method gives the sauce something to grab onto and really helps flavor the chicken. It’s easy, delicious, and less messy!
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Gather all of your ingredients.
Make the orange sauce: Begin by making the orange sauce so that it’s ready to go when you need it. Zest one large orange, then squeeze as much juice out of it as you can. You’ll need about 1 tsp zest and 1/2 cup juice.
Combine the orange juice and orange zest in a small sauce pot with 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch. Whisk them all together until the cornstarch is fully dissolved and set aside.
Cut the chicken: Trim any excess fat from four boneless, skinless chicken thighs, then cut them into 3/4-inch pieces. This was about 1.33 pounds of chicken.
Make the cornstarch mixture: Whisk together one large egg, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch of salt and pepper until it’s light and frothy. The mixture may seem dry at first, but the cornstarch will begin to melt into the moisture from the egg.
Coat the chicken: Add the chicken pieces and toss them until they’re coated in the egg mixture.
Cook the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, then add 2 Tbsp cooking oil and swirl to coat the skillet. Add the chicken pieces to the skillet so that they are in a single layer and not piled on top one another. Let them cook until golden brown on the bottom, then begin to turn the chicken pieces, breaking them apart from one another as you flip.
Let the chicken cook on the second side until golden as well and the pieces are cooked through. Try not to stir the chicken too much to avoid the batter falling off. Total cooking time should be about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to a separate plate.
Simmer the sauce: Add the prepared orange sauce to the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. Turn the heat down to medium low and stir the sauce. Let it come to a simmer, at which point it will start to thicken and turn glossy. Continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Coat the chicken: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet with the sauce.
Stir to coat the chicken in the sauce and heat for 1 more minute. Garnish the chicken with sliced green onions and any leftover orange zest (that orange zest on top really makes the orange flavor POP! ✨) Serve with the cooked rice, and enjoy!
Some people have had trouble with the battered pan fry method, so I want to give you a couple of tips here:
This cornstarch-egg frying method gives the chicken pieces just a touch of breading and fried flavor while leaving the dish tasting light and fresh. IMHO, it’s absolutely perfect.
When I serve this homemade orange chicken, I like to pair it with jasmine rice for an easy yet delicious meal. However, I think my coconut rice would be an amazingly flavorful alternative to plain rice! This sesame cucumber salad is another favorite of mine because it’s light, crunchy, and packed with flavor. For something a little extra, I’d make my sesame roasted green beans or our fresh kimchi spring rolls and add them to my plate, too!
Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I normally reheat any leftovers in the microwave until fully heated through. You can also try freezing the chicken and sauce for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Our Easy Orange Chicken recipe was originally published 2/23/17. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 3/21/25.
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