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Skip the takeout and eat in with this incredibly tasty sweet and spicy home made orange chicken dish. It’s on the table in no time!
We have a recipe for Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken that we’ve loved for years, as well as a recipe for Crock Pot Orange Chicken. But this home made orange chicken might just be our favorite of them all!
Easy Takeout At Home!
Talk about a family’s favorite chicken dish! My kids are constantly requesting orange chicken for dinner. It’s so simple to make and packs a punch with flavor.
Serve it on top of white rice or Fried Rice and you’ve got a winner! Tastes just like Chinese food you’d get in a restaurant—but even better (AND it’s made at home!)
If you’ve been a long-time fan of orange chicken, then we think you’ll love this version.
How to Make Orange Chicken
You’re going to be surprised at how simple this home made orange chicken is to make! This orange chicken sauce is SO good. It’s a sweet and spicy orange flavor and I could practically drink it.
SAUCE. In a medium saucepan combine the orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat.
- In a separate bowl make a cornstarch slurry: mix together 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water, and stir until a paste forms.
- Add the cornstarch paste to the orange mixture and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Once thick, remove from heat and add the orange zest. Keep warm, stirring occasionally, while making the chicken.
PREP. Use a shallow dish or pie plate and add ⅔ c flour, ⅔ cup cornstarch, and salt. Mix. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs.
DREDGE. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture and then coat with the flour mixture. Place pieces on a plate.
COOK. Pour 2-3 inches of oil into a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Use a thermometer to check that the oil reaches 350 °F
Working in batches, place several chicken pieces into the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes turning so all sides become a golden brown. Once cooked place the chicken on a paper towel to drain. Repeat until all the chicken has been fried.
COAT. Toss the chicken in the Orange sauce. If you desire to garnish with green onions & orange zest and serve with rice.
Serving + SToring Tips
We love serving this orange chicken recipe with stir-fried vegetables, but there are so many great options.
Serving suggestions. Whip up your favorite side, or try any of these Chinese food dishes:
STORE. Keep leftover Chinese orange chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days! Reheat it for a yummy lunch or leftover dinner.
Recipe FAQ
I have found that the easiest way to cut even pieces of chicken is to partially freeze the chicken. Place the chicken breast in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. It should be firm, but not so solid that you can’t cut it with a kitchen knife.
The cornstarch in the recipe will help the sauce thicken as it simmers and the sauce will thicken even more as it cools. For an even thicker sauce, increase the amount of cornstarch and cold water when you mix the cornstarch slurry in Step 2.
When frying food, such as chicken pieces, use oil with a high smoke point. There are many to choose from such as vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil, and I have even found olive oil suitable for higher cooking temperatures.
For More Asian Chicken Recipes, Try:
- Sesame Chicken
- Honey Chicken
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Orange Chicken And Asparagus
- Sweet And Sour Chicken
Home Made Orange Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Orange Chicken Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- orange zest from 1 orange
Chicken Recipe:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup cornstarch
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- oil for frying
- garnish with green onions and orange zest
Instructions
To Make Orange Sauce
- In a medium saucepan combine the orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat.
- In a separate bowl mix together 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water, and stir until a paste forms.
- Add the cornstarch paste to the orange mixture and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Once thick, remove from heat and add the orange zest. Keep warm, stirring occasionally, while making the chicken.
To Make Chicken:
- Use a shallow dish or pie plate and add ⅔ c flour, ⅔ cup cornstarch, and salt. Mix.
- In a separate bowl whisk the eggs.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture and then coat with the flour mixture. Place pieces on a plate.
- Pour 2-3 inches of oil into a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Use a thermometer to check that the oil reaches 350 °F
- Place several pieces of chicken into the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes turning so all sides become a golden brown. Once cooked place the chicken on a paper towel to drain. Repeat until all the chicken has been fried.
- Toss the chicken in the Orange sauce. If you desire to garnish with green onions & orange zest and serve with rice.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Simple recipe. Easy to follow the directions. I’m salivating right now. Thank you.
Best orange chicken recipe by far and I have tried quite a few! This is also super easy to follow. It’s a crowd pleaser and now my go-to orange chicken recipe!
Oh that makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe. Thanks for sharing!