Homemade Orange Chicken
Made popular by Panda Express and a staple in most Chinese American restaurants, orange chicken is a perfect melding of sweet and spicy and sour all in one dish. From the color to the aroma to the taste, orange chicken is hard to resist and making it at home isn’t all that complicated.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 5-6 thighs
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup corn starch
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Oil, for frying
For the Sauce:
- 1 cup orange juice, from 4-5 oranges, or store bought
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons orange zest, about 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons water
Directions
For the Chicken:
- Using a deep pot or Dutch oven, add enough oil to be 2-3” deep and begin heating your oil to 350°F / 175°C.
- Combine the flour, corn starch, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl, or a zipper-locked gallon bag.
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl or shallow pan and set aside.
- Trim and cut the chicken thighs into 1” pieces. Dip and coat in the egg mixture and then into the dry mixture. Shake to remove excess and set aside.
- Working in batches, fry the chicken pieces until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Strain and set aside on a paper-towel lined plate.
For the Sauce:
- While the chicken is cooking, in a small to medium pot, combine the orange juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil and immediately lower the heat to a simmer.
- Allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the orange zest for the last minute or two of heating. Combine the corn starch and water into a slurry, then add slowly to the sauce until thickened to the desired amount and remove from the heat.
- Toss the chicken with the sauce and serve.
Equipment Used
Notes
1) This recipe is very spicy. If you want a milder version, cut the red pepper flakes by half. If you want a very mild or not spicy version, omit both the pepper flakes and the sesame oil altogether.
2) You can make this recipe gluten-free by switching out the flour for a gluten-free alternative, and switch from soy sauce to Tamari.
3) Dark meat from chicken thighs is more traditional and flavorful, but feel free to substitute with chicken breasts.
4) The nutrition facts above only factor in the chicken and do not include the rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 31gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 506mgPotassium: 523mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
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