Orange Chicken
intro
Crispy battered chicken tossed in a bright, sweet-tangy orange glaze, this beloved Chinese-American takeout classic is easy to make at home with signature crunchy texture.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep chicken and batter
Pat 680g of 1-inch cubed boneless skinless chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels to ensure maximum crispiness. In a medium mixing bowl, add the dried chicken and 2 lightly beaten large eggs, tossing until every piece is fully coated in egg. In a separate shallow dish, stir 120g cornstarch and 60g all-purpose flour together until uniformly mixed.
Make the orange glaze
In a small stainless steel saucepan off heat, whisk together 180ml fresh orange juice, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 50g packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Whisk until the sugar fully dissolves with no lumps remaining, then set the pan aside until needed.
Heat frying oil
Pour 500ml neutral vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 175°C (350°F) on a clip-on candy or deep fry thermometer, which takes approximately 5-7 minutes. Adjust the stovetop heat as needed to maintain a steady 175°C temperature throughout the frying process.
Fry chicken to crisp
Working in 3 small equal batches to avoid dropping oil temperature, lift egg-coated chicken pieces from the bowl, dredge fully in the cornstarch-flour mix, pressing gently so the coating adheres evenly, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry each batch for 4-5 minutes, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) and the coating is pale golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain, rather than paper towels, to preserve crunch.
Thicken the orange sauce
Place the saucepan with the pre-mixed glaze over medium heat, bringing it to a gentle simmer over 2-3 minutes. Stir constantly as it simmers, cooking for 3-4 additional minutes until the sauce reduces by roughly one quarter and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, with a line drawn through the sauce on the spoon holding its shape without running.
Toss chicken and serve
Add all the fried crispy chicken pieces to a large mixing bowl, pour the hot thickened orange glaze over top, and toss gently for 30-45 seconds until every chicken piece is evenly coated in glaze. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, and serve immediately while the coating is still crisp.
Tips
2.Use fresh-squeezed orange juice for the glaze instead of bottled: bottled juice often has added preservatives that create a flat, artificial citrus flavor.
3.Toss chicken in the hot glaze immediately before serving: letting sauced chicken sit for more than 5 minutes will soften the crispy coating and ruin the dish's signature texture.
OMG this orange chicken is SO good! I made it for our weekly family dinner last night and even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds, zero complaints the whole meal. The crispy coating stayed crunchy even after tossing it in that bright tangy sauce, which is way better than the sad takeout version that turns soggy two minutes after you open the container. 10/10, I’m already adding this to my regular Sunday meal prep rotation for work lunches!
Flavor is absolutely on point, that tangy orange glaze is better than any takeout I’ve ordered around here, but I ran into a problem: my chicken coating got totally soggy right after I tossed it in sauce. I followed the cook time for frying, so I’m not sure where I went wrong. Still tasty enough that I want to try again, though!
Total game changer for potlucks! I was a little nervous to try this at first since it’s marked medium difficulty, but the 35 minute cook time was totally manageable even with my toddler clinging to my leg while I cooked. I brought a double batch of this to our neighborhood block party last weekend and people were hounding me for the recipe before I even finished setting the platter down. It was completely gone in 15 minutes, not a single bite left over. The only small tweak I made was adding a pinch of extra red pepper flakes for a tiny heat kick, it was chef’s kiss.