Orange Chicken Recipe | How To Make Orange Chicken
This Asian Orange Chicken inspired by Panda Express is so quick, easy and delicious! Skip take-out and make it at home, all you need is 30 minutes, from start to finish!
Servings 3 people
Ingredients
Measuring cup used, 1 Cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
- 1 lbs chicken tenders / breasts / skinless thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
For the orange chicken batter
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- Pinch of black or white pepper powder
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp rice flour/all purpose flour
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 egg
For the orange sauce
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 to 3 tbsp packed brown sugar or white sugar/honey
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- zest of an orange, about 1 tsp
Other ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
- 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1/8 cup water/chicken stock
For garnishing
- Scallions greens, as required
- Toasted sesame seeds, as required
Instructions
- Transfer chicken pieces to a medium-sized bowl. Add oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes. I've used chicken tenderloins, but you could also chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this recipe.
- Meanwhile, make the orange sauce. In a bowl, add orange juice, orange zest, light soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning, add salt if necessary, more soy sauce, brown sugar or rice wine vinegar if required.
- After the chicken has marinated, add an egg, cornstarch/cornflour and rice flour/all purpose flour. Mix well.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in batches, about 2 minutes each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with absorbent paper.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a wok or in the same skillet. Add minced ginger, garlic, and red chilli flakes. Sauté just until the ginger and garlic are aromatic. Do not brown it.
- Immediately add the sauce, mix everything. Cook until it begins to bubble.
- Add the cornstarch slurry, mixing simultaneously to avoid any lumps from forming.
- Once the sauce begins to look glossy, add the fried chicken pieces, stir well to coat all the chicken pieces with the orange sauce. Stir-fry until the sauce has further thickened and adhered to the chicken pieces well.
- Finish off with a drizzle of sesame oil, chopped scallion greens, and some toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
You may add the ginger, garlic, and red chilli flakes if using along with the other sauce ingredients. Then mix and transfer to a pan, cook until the sauce begins to bubble about 3 minutes. Then add the cornstarch slurry, once it thickens add the fried chicken pieces.