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Orange Chicken might be the most recognizable American Chinese takeout dish – but once you make it at home, you won’t ever want to order takeout again! Crispy chicken pieces are double fried and covered in the best sticky, sweet, savory orange sauce – this homemade version will be the best Orange Chicken you’ve ever had!
Watch the Orange Chicken Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
If you love orange sauce and want a beef dish, try Orange Beef!
- chicken – I like to use 1″ pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thigh. 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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- all-purpose flour + 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- chicken stock – if you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can substitute with water
- cornstarch + 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.
2. Prepare the Orange Chicken Sauce
For your sauce: mix together light soy, orange juice, water or stock, brown sugar, and orange zest until sugar is dissolved.
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.
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.
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.
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!
7. Toss the Chicken in the Orange Sauce
Toss in your chicken and coat evenly for 30 seconds and serve immediately with rice. Enjoy your Orange Chicken!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for the BEST Orange Chicken
- Cut the Chicken into Uniform Pieces
- Whether you use chicken breast or thigh, make sure to cut your chicken into uniform pieces to ensure that your chicken cooks evenly.
- Coat Your Chicken Thoroughly
- Individually coat the chicken pieces in the dry seasoning mix so that there are no dry spots. Be sure to pack the dry mix in to the chicken with your hands (I like squeezing it in) to properly coat the chicken so the batter sticks.
- Monitor the Oil Temperature
- Do not let your frying oil drop below 325F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 325F, fry your chicken in batches. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture (AKA SOGGY Orange Chicken!)
- Rest After Dredging
- Once the chicken is dredged in the seasoning mix, let them rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps the batter stick to the chicken when frying!
- Pre-mix Your Sauce
- The cooking process for the sauce is FAST so it’s a great idea to premix your sauce together, then add it straight into the pan! The corn starch will help thicken the sauce into that velvety texture that Chinese restaurants made so famous.
- Double Fry
- If you want your Orange Chicken to be extra crispy, you can fry for a second time for 1 minute at 350F! I love this technique because it gets the batter of the chicken EXTRA crispy and also allows for batter to stick better to the orange sauce.
Storage and Reheating
You can store Orange Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I like reheat leftovers 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 it 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)!
For another chicken option, make General Tso’s Chicken or the sadly discontinued Panda Express Sweetfire Chicken Breast!
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!
Orange Chicken – Better Than Take-out! (Video)
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thigh, cut into 1" pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- orange zest, of 1/2 orange
Dry Batter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- neutral oil, for frying; I used avocado oil
Sauce
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup chicken stock, sub water
- orange zest, other 1/2 orange
Other Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper
- 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
Cornstarch Slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- 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.
- In a small bowl, mix together chicken stock, soy sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, and orange zest until sugar is dissolved.
- Whisk together AP flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in some of the extra chicken marinade and mix to create more craggily bits.
- Dredge your chicken and pack the coating in well. Place on a sheet tray to rest while you heat up the oil.
- Add 2 inches of neutral oil n a large wok or dutch oven and heat the oil to 350°F. Fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside. Bring the oil temperature back up to 350°F and fry a second time for 1-2 minutes until a deep golden brown.
- In a wok over high heat in 2 tbsp of neutral oil, sauté garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper for 15 seconds until fragrant. Immediately add in the sauce and vinegar. Mix until just boiling, then add your cornstarch slurry and mix to thicken, about 30 seconds.
- Toss in your chicken and coat evenly for 30 seconds and serve immediately with rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cut the Chicken into Uniform Pieces – Whether you use chicken breast or thigh, make sure to cut your chicken into uniform pieces to ensure that your chicken cooks evenly.
- Coat Your Chicken Thoroughly – Individually coat the chicken pieces in the dry seasoning mix so that there are no dry spots. Be sure to pack the dry mix in to the chicken with your hands (I like squeezing it in) to properly coat the chicken so the batter sticks.
- Monitor the Oil Temperature – Do not let your frying oil drop below 325F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 325F, fry your chicken in batches. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture (AKA SOGGY Orange Chicken!)
- Rest After Dredging – Once the chicken is dredged in the seasoning mix, let them rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps the batter stick to the chicken when frying!
- Pre-mix Your Sauce – The cooking process for the sauce is FAST so it’s a great idea to premix your sauce together, then add it straight into the pan! The corn starch will help thicken the sauce into that velvety texture that Chinese restaurants made so famous.
- Double Fry – If you want your Orange Chicken to be extra crispy, you can fry for a second time for 1 minute at 350F! I love this technique because it gets the batter of the chicken EXTRA crispy and also allows for batter to stick better to the orange sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is amazing. I don’t normally follow a recipe 100% but for this one it is already perfect as is.
This is my go to recipe. It may seem like a lot of steps but it comes together fast and you have better than restaurant Orange Chicken. Please note that it’s okay to prep the chicken and leave it in the marinade overnight!
Such a great and easy recipe that turned out better than any restaurant or fast food orange chicken! This is a must try and a crowd winner in my family. I want to try the air fryer version next.
Such a great and easy recipe that turned out better than any restaurant or fast food orange chicken! This is a must try and a crowd winner in my family.
I used potato starch and gluten free flour and coconut aminos. It was seriously good food! Love these recipes!
The best!
Crush red pepper 🌶️, you mean like a chili?
Like crushed red pepper flakes
Amazing flavor, simple to follow instructions. I couldn’t believe how much this tasted like take out. I love orange chicken but I can’t order it because of a food dye allergy. So this satisfied the craving. This is the 3 rd recipe of yours I’ve made. Thank you for the amazing food.
You’re so welcome! Glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Absolutely the best recipe for Orange Chicken! I made this recipe for dinner one night since my partner is an avid Orange Chicken lover and we were both shocked at how amazing it turned out! So much so that he asked me to make this recipe in bulk for his lunches…We are 3 weeks in of Orange Chicken lunches (Alternating Rice and CJ’s Soy Sauce Chow Mein) and he cannot get enough! The chicken and sauce freeze extremely well and he has relayed that the chicken does not get soggy when reheating from a frozen state. This recipe is hands down a 11 out of 10! Thank you so much for sharing CJ!
Thanks so much, Ashley! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!
Made this dish the other night and will NEVER order takeout again. My brother loves orange chicken and he said this was better than any restaurant. The double fry was perfect and loved the fresh juice in the sauce! Thanks, CJ!
I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks for your kind words 🙂