Description
This Easy Orange Chicken recipe features tender chicken pieces coated in a crispy flour and spice mixture, fried to golden perfection, then tossed in a tangy and sweet orange sauce simmered to a luscious glaze. Ready in just 30 minutes, this dish brings vibrant citrus flavor with a hint of ginger and garlic, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner served with rice or noodles.
Ingredients
Chicken Coating
- 6 whole boneless chicken thighs (or 2 lbs. of chicken tenderloins), diced into ½ inch cubes
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. corn starch
- 1 tsp. black pepper (fresh ground, or less to taste)
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. ginger powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. paprika (for color)
- Vegetable oil for frying
Orange Sauce
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice
- 1½ tbsp. corn starch
- 2 tbsps. vegetable oil
- 3 tbsps. low sodium soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp. rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 2 tbsps. brown sugar
- ½ tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves fresh garlic (minced)
- ½ tsp. black pepper (fresh ground)
- 1 tsp. orange zest
- Chili flakes (optional, to add heat)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken coating: Dice the chicken thighs or tenderloins into ½ inch cubes and place them in a large bowl. Add the all purpose flour, corn starch, salt, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, and ginger powder. Toss well to evenly coat all the chicken pieces in the seasoning and flour mixture.
- Fry the chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully add the coated chicken pieces and fry them for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Be careful not to overcook the chicken to avoid chewiness. Remove and drain excess oil if needed.
- Make the orange sauce: While the chicken fries, combine the fresh orange juice, corn starch, vegetable oil, low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, grated ginger, minced garlic, black pepper, orange zest, and optional chili flakes in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Simmer the sauce: Transfer the sauce mixture to a hot non-stick skillet or frying pan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy and syrupy.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces into the thickened sauce and toss to coat thoroughly. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for 1-2 minutes to meld the flavors and heat through, then remove from heat.
- Serve: Serve the orange chicken hot over homemade Lo Mein noodles or white rice. Optionally garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions for extra flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Use fresh orange juice and zest for the best citrus flavor.
- Do not over-fry the chicken to keep it tender and juicy.
- Adjust chili flakes to your preferred spice level or omit for mild flavor.
- Low sodium soy sauce helps control overall saltiness in the dish.
- This recipe pairs well with steamed rice, fried rice, or noodles.
- To make it gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
