This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Chinese Orange Chicken made with crispy fried chicken covered in an authentic orange sauce. The ultimate Chinese Orange Chicken Recipe which is way better than take-out.
My kids are always begging me to take them to grab Chinese food. They are obsessed with orange chicken but I am never really sure what’s in it….especially if they get it from a drive-thru. I wanted to create a version at home, made from scratch, with all-natural ingredients. It still has the same incredible flavor they love. It’s definitely a win-win in our home.
It is wintertime in Arizona which means that the citrus is ripe for the picking. I am surrounded by neighbors who have a plethora of fresh oranges and lemons hanging from their trees. This is the perfect time of year to whip up orange and lemon dishes especially this Chinese Orange Chicken.
This Chinese Orange Chicken is made with boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces, dredged, and then fried until golden and crispy. The orange sauce is divine! It is a sweet orange sauce made with orange juice, vinegar, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, red chili flakes, and orange zest. It is both sweet and spicy and full of flavor.
How to make Chinese Orange Chicken at home:
- Start with boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs. Cut into bite-size pieces. Dredge the chicken in whisked eggs and cornstarch/flour mixture until nice and coated. Get these chicken pieces ready for the oil.
- To make your homemade orange sauce, place orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes in a small pot and cook over medium-high heat. Add cornstarch and water and cook until thickened. Stir in orange zest.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When frying foods, it is so helpful to use a thermometer. Let the oil heat up to 350 degrees. Once the oil is ready, in batches, cook chicken for about 2 minutes until light golden brown. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Toss fried chicken with the sweet orange sauce. Top with grated orange zest and green onions. Serve immediately.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Chinese Orange Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 Eggs whisked
- 1/3 cup Cornstarch
- 1/3 cup Flour
- Salt
- Oil for frying
Orange Chicken Sauce:
- 1 cup Orange Juice
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar or White Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce use tamari for a gluten-free dish
- 1/4 teaspoon Ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder or 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
- Orange Zest from 1 orange
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
Garnish:
- Green Onions
- Orange Zest
Instructions
- To make orange sauce:
- In a medium pot, add orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes. Heat for 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water to form a paste. Add to orange sauce and whisk together. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and add orange zest.
- To make chicken:
- Place flour and cornstarch in a shallow dish or pie plate. Add a generous pinch of salt. Stir.
- Whisk eggs in shallow dish.
- Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and then flour mixture. Place on plate.
- Heat 2 -3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Using a thermometer, watch for it to reach 350 degrees.
- Working in batches, cook several chicken pieces at a time. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, turning often until golden brown. Place chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat.
- Toss chicken with orange sauce. You may reserve some of the sauce to place on rice. Serve it with a sprinkling of green onion and orange zest, if so desired.
Video
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Orange Chicken is going to make you forget take-out. Let me know how it turns out by reaching out on instagram at @modern_honey. Have a great night, my friends!
Does anyone have pro tips for frying tbis chicken without oilt thermometer please? Thanks!
I am 12 and I made this for my family while they were shopping and they can home to the best orange chicken ever!
We are going to add that to our dinner rotation my siblings and parents LOVED IT! I would recommend this to any body who likes food, if you don’t like food you will probably still like it.
I am 12 and I made this for my family while they were shopping and they can home to the best orange chicken ever!
We are going to add that to our dinner rotation my siblings and parents LOVED IT!
The orange chicken turned out so yummy. Based on the comments, I did make some modifications. I doubled the sauce recipe, cut the sugar in half (that amount seemed to be just right) used fresh ginger (wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be powdered) and to thicken the sauce, I used flour since I didn’t have cornstarch. Someone mentioned in a comment that 1 Tbsp of cornstarch is equal to 2 Tbsp of flour and that worked for me. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
This was such EXCELLENT recipe….I’m glad I made enough for left overs! Far better then take out….a NEW FAVORITE!!!!❤️
Thank you????????????????
This was great…and gone shortly after making. The only changes, which I don’t believe change the integrity of the recipe, are…(1) added salt to the egg mixture and (2) used apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar (which I didn’t have). Wonderful recipe!!!
Also, I used boneless chicken thighs. Will definitely use them again. Very tender bites!
Amazing recipe! Big hit with the family. I used chicken breast the first time and chicken thighs the second time. Thighs wins. Much more flavorful even though either way it’s amazing. Made some rice, added veggies and egg for fried rice feel. Soooo good. Thank you.
I was unsure on ginger used fresh grated. Really loved the recipe and will use again. I used fresh oranges that I squeezed will double up on that as I found just a little too sweet. Brilliant recipe though. Much better than a take out
Tried this amazing recipe for the first time last night, and it was delicious! I subbed in lemon zest (didn’t have an orange), which gave the sauce a zippier citrus taste. Next time, I think I’ll add in some sauteed onions, bell peppers, and cayenne peppers to give it a little extra heat. Thank you for putting this takeout classic into my home cookbook!
Simple and easy to make but so amazing! Family and friends loved it!!!!