Orange Chicken – Better Than Takeout! (VIDEO)

• 1 lb chicken – I like to use 1″ pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thigh for Orange Chicken. You want to cut them into similar sized pieces so the chicken can cook evenly.
  • You can substitute with chicken breast if you prefer.
  • If you want to make something beef instead, check out Beef and Broccoli!
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce – You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for this recipe.
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
• 1/2 tsp white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.

Dry Batter

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour + 1/2 cup cornstarch – Combining flour and cornstarch is how you get an addictively crispy and delicious batter. When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.) 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder – Baking Powder is one of my favorite tricks in frying foods that still taste light and airy. The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which helps the outer layer get crispy while keeping it light and airy.
• 1 tsp white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
• neutral oil, for frying – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not work with the flavors of Chinese cooking.

Sauce

• 1/4 cup chicken stock – if you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can substitute with water

Cornstarch Slurry

• 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1/4 cup water – Cornstarch slurry is used in a lot of Asian cooking to thicken sauces and soups. A slurry means a mixture of liquid (usually water) and a thickening agent (in this case, cornstarch). TIP: Make sure to re-mix your cornstarch slurry right before using it.

Recipe Instructions for Orange Chicken

1. Marinate the Chicken

Cut boneless, skinless chicken thigh into 1″ pieces and marinate with garlic, ginger, light soy, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, sesame oil, and orange zest for 30 minutes.

3. Mix the Dry Batter

Whisk together all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in some of the extra chicken marinade and mix to create more craggily bits.

PRO TIP

Get Extra Crispy Batter!

To get extra craggily bits into the wet batter, add any leftover marinade (or 1-2 tbsp of water) to your seasoning mix (flour/cornstarch/baking powder) and rub them together to create the craggily bits we all love! These abnormal bits will then stick to the chicken and create a beautiful texture and additional crunch in your Orange Chicken.

4. Dredge the Chicken

Dredge your chicken and pack the coating in well. Let rest on a sheet tray while you heat up the frying oil. Letting the chicken rest for a few minutes will help the batter stick to the chicken when frying.

5. Fry and Double Fry the Chicken

Fry at 350F for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside. Fry at 350F for another 1 min for extra crispiness.

6. Sauté The Aromatics and Thicken the Orange Sauce

Over high heat, sauté garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper for 15 seconds until fragrant. Immediately add in your sauce and cook until just bubbling. Add in the vinegar and quickly mix. We mix in the vinegar once the sauce is bubbling to preserve the potency of the vinegar.

To thicken the sauce, remix the cornstarch slurry to remix any cornstarch that has sunk to the bottom, then add it straight into the orange sauce. Mix until thickened (about 30 seconds). The consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Notice how much thicker the sauce has become after the cornstarch slurry is added!

Storage and Reheating

You can store Orange Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

I like reheat Orange Chicken in the air fryer in order to crisp up the chicken (if you love air fryer recipes – try my Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, or Air Fryer Orange Chicken). When reheating the chicken in the air fryer, the sauce with further caramelize and infuse into the crispy batter! Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy.

Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. I don’t recommend reheating Orange Chicken (or any fried chicken) in the microwave unless you don’t care about the texture and just want to heat it back up as quickly as possible.

What to Serve with Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken was actually invented by the head chef at Panda Express, so I can’t think of a better dish to serve this with than my Panda Express Chow Mein and a fluffy Egg Fried Rice! You can’t forget about the Honey Walnut Shrimp and Beef and Broccoli for a multi-course meal!

If you want to try other chicken Chinese Takeout dishes, try my crispiest Egg Rolls as your appetizer; if you feel like soup, make Egg Drop Soup (or Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup, if you want a heartier version) or Hot and Sour Soup. You can’t forget about a rice or noodle dish – pair your Orange Chicken with Chicken Fried Rice (if you want shrimp instead, try Shrimp Fried Rice)and Shrimp Lo Mein (if you need a chicken option, try Chicken Lo Mein)!

Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)

By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!

If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.

If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.

My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Orange Chicken not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.

If you tried this Orange Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!