You get bite-sized pieces of chicken that are fried to golden brown perfection, and they’re coated in the most amazing sweet and sticky sauce. Talk about delicious comfort food!
Homemade Orange Chicken
This easy orange chicken recipe is a classic Chinese take-out dish that’s super popular here in the U.S.—for good reason. The lightly battered and fried pieces of chicken coated with an irresistible sweet and tangy orange sauce… it’s satisfying and delicious. Everyone in the family will love this recipe! It will likely be one of those recipes that the spouse, kids, friends, parents, etc. request again and again. The secret is in the sauce. The tangy and sweet orange sauce is really what makes this recipe stand out. It’s a delicious blend of fresh orange juice and zest, plus chicken broth, which is healthier than restaurant versions and even more tasty. Then you also get a sweet, salty, and sour blend from the sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar with a fresh finish of flavor from the ginger, garlic, and onion. Skip the take-out tonight and make this delicious Chinese dish at home! You’ll save money from takeout or DoorDash, and save some calories and preservatives from your diet. Serve my Better Than Takeout Chinese orange chicken with white rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice. And be sure to use chopsticks, Chinese food just tastes better when eaten from chopsticks right? :)
Chinese Orange Chicken Ingredients
For the easy orange chicken and the special orange sauce you’ll need:
Chicken breasts Chicken broth Orange juice and zest White vinegar Soy sauce Granulated sugar Dried ginger Yellow onion Garlic Sriracha Pepper Cornstarch Water Eggs Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying Green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish
How to Make Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken
To make this homemade orange chicken, you marinate chicken pieces in a simple orange chicken sauce, while setting aside 1/3 of the sauce and thickening it for coating at the end. Then you dredge the marinated chicken pieces in eggs followed by cornstarch and fry in hot oil until they’re perfectly golden brown and crisp. And you finish by coating them in that truly irresistible orange sauce.
It may take a few steps to make Chinese orange chicken, but after one bite you’ll realize it was most definitely worth it!
Can I Use Honey Instead of Sugar?
To make it just a tad healthier you could try swapping out half of the sugar with honey for another delicious option. I just don’t recommend using all honey or the flavor will be too strong.
How to Reheat Orange Chicken
If you have leftover orange chicken, don’t reheat it in the microwave. The chicken can become rubbery. Instead, reheat the Chinese orange chicken in a skillet with a drizzle of vegetable oil. You want to warm it over medium heat and stir every once in a while to heat it evenly throughout. An air fryer can also be used to reheat orange chicken, just toss every few minutes and remove the pieces before they crisp up too much.
Tips for the Best Orange Chicken
Fry the chicken in batches to prevent the oil temperature from dropping. The oil needs to stay hot enough to fry the chicken properly. Freshly squeezed orange juice is key in this recipe. The bottled stuff doesn’t compare! I like to garnish my homemade orange chicken with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. It adds a pop of fresh flavor and nice texture.
More Easy Chinese Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
Lighter Orange Chicken Cashew Chicken Chicken Chow Mein General Tso’s Chicken Sticky Honey Orange Grilled Chicken Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry Chicken Fried Rice Szechuan Chicken Stir-Fry
