Here’s one of my favorite Chinese takeout recipes – orange chicken! The chicken is extra crunchy from double-frying and then coated in a glossy sauce made with freshly squeezed oranges.
Orange chicken is a staple American Chinese-takeout dish that always brings me memories of my childhood. Who knew how easy it is to make at home?
Orange chicken sauce
The sauce recipe is very simple, yet so flavorful. The base of the sauce is made from freshly squeezed oranges and the aromatics are used to accentuate the flavors. Then the soy sauce provides saltiness to balance the sweet flavors while rice vinegar adds complexity.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- juice of 2 oranges
- grated garlic cloves
- grated ginger
- low-sodium soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- sugar
- sesame oil
- chicken broth
You can use my measurements as a starting point and adjust according to your preferences. All of these ingredients and my favorite brands for cooking can be found here on my Amazon Storefront page!
Tips for frying chicken
First and foremost, you’ll want to use chicken thighs for extra juicy chicken. Thighs have a higher fat content, so it holds up to frying better and is more difficult to overcook. However, this recipe will just as easily work with chicken breast. You’ll just need to be more careful when frying so it doesn’t overcook and dry out.
The size of the chicken pieces
The size you cut your chicken pieces makes a big difference in how this dish will turn out. First, make sure all of the pieces are the same size so it all cooks evenly. In addition, ensure the pieces are cut into slightly larger than 1-inch chunks. Larger pieces will allow the chicken to cook through while still remaining moist inside.
Frying oil
Use high-heat oil for best results. So examples of these include canola, avocado, vegetable and peanut oil. Just keep in mind peanut oil will give your food a nutty taste, which many people like!
The temperature of the oil is also very important. If the oil is too hot, then the inside of the chicken won’t cook entirely and if the oil is too cool, then you’ll end up with soggy chicken. You can either use a food thermometer for more precision (350-375°F), or do the chopstick test. This means using a wooden chopstick or any other cooking utensil and dipping it into the oil. It should almost immediately bubble around the chopstick when the oil is ready for frying.
How to serve
Orange chicken is best served with steamed white rice and a side of green vegetables. You can also garnish with sesame seeds, green onions for color and fresh orange slices.
More Chinese takeout recipes
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Orange Chicken
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 3 servings 1x
Description
One of my favorite Chinese takeout recipes – orange chicken! It’s extra crunchy from double-frying and coated in a glossy orange sauce.
Ingredients
- 1.75 lb boneless chicken thighs (800g)
- 1/4 tsp salt + pepper
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- frying oil (canola, veg or peanut oil)
Sauce
- juice of 2 oranges (1 cup/250ml)
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated
- 1/2 tsp ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ chicken broth (60ml)
Slurry
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp cool water
garnish: scallions, orange slices, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat the frying oil on medium-high heat and prepare the rest of the ingredients in the meantime.
- Cut chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes and dry with a paper towel. Larger chicken pieces will give you moister chicken, so make sure the pieces aren’t too small. I used chicken thighs to ensure a really juicy result.. but you can use other parts of chicken if you’d like. Season with salt and pepper to bring out the flavor and add an egg white. Then mix in the flour and cornstarch and shake off the excess flour before deep-frying.
- Fry in batches until a light golden brown color (about 4 to 6 minutes) and make sure not to add too many pieces at a time so the oil temperature does not decrease which will result in soggy chicken. Let the chicken pieces rest on a rack as you continue to fry the rest. Then, double fry for 45 seconds to 1.5 minutes for EXTRA CRISPY chicken. This makes a huge difference, trust me.
- Prepare the sauce mixture by adding the orange juice, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil. Bring to a boil in a saucepan, then add the chicken broth which will reduce the temperature of the pan. Immediately add the cornstarch slurry and continue stirring so it does not clump. Cook until the sauce has thickened, then mix in the chicken. Garnish & serve with white rice and vegetables.
Notes
All of these ingredients and my favorite brands for cooking can be found here on my Amazon Storefront page!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Keywords: orange chicken, chinese food
