Orange Chicken
Crispy, takeout-style orange chicken with a glossy sweet and tangy sauce made from real orange juice and zest. Better than delivery in 45 minutes.
44% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 735
- Protein
- 37 g
- Per serving
- $3.51
Why this recipe works
Orange chicken is the takeout favorite: crispy bites of chicken in a sticky, sweet-tangy orange glaze, served over rice. Making it at home means a crispier coating and a sauce that tastes of oranges rather than syrup.
- An egg and cornstarch coating fries up light and shatteringly crisp, and a quick second fry at a higher heat drives off the moisture so it stays crunchy under the sauce.
- The sauce uses fresh orange juice and zest, which gives a bright, real orange flavor that bottled sauces and marmalade versions don't have.
- Tossing the chicken in the sauce at the very last second keeps the coating crisp; sauced too early, it turns soft in minutes.
Ingredients
For the sauce
For the chicken
To serve
You will need
- Heavy pot or Dutch oven for frying
- Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
- Small saucepan
- Wire rack set over a baking sheet
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Make the sauce
Combine the orange juice, zest, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes in the small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Take it off the heat.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Coat the chicken
Beat the egg with the soy sauce in a bowl and toss the chicken in it. Mix the cornstarch, flour and salt in another bowl, then add the chicken a handful at a time and press the coating on so every piece is well covered. Shake off the excess.
AI-generated illustration of this step. First fry
Heat the oil to 350°F in the heavy pot. Fry the chicken in 3 batches, stirring to separate the pieces, until pale golden and cooked through (165°F), 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain on the rack.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Second fry
Raise the oil to 375°F and fry all the chicken again, in 2 batches, until deep golden and very crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on the rack.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Sauce and serve
Rewarm the sauce if needed. Just before serving, toss the chicken in the sauce until glazed, and top with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve right away with rice.
AI-generated illustration of this step.
Techniques in this recipe
- Chicken and turkey165°F / 74°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guideRolling boil: too hard for most sauces Simmer: small, gentle bubbles Simmer, don't boil
A boil has big, rolling bubbles; a simmer has small bubbles that break gently. Most sauces, soups and stews want a simmer.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Use a thermometer and let the oil come back up to temperature between batches. Oil that's too cool makes greasy, soft chicken.
- Don't let the sauce boil hard once it's thick: the sugar can scorch and turn bitter.
- For a lighter version, toss the coated chicken in 2 tablespoons of oil and bake on a rack at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, or air-fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
735 calories
$3.51 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 20% of calories | 37 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 29% of calories | 52 g |
| Fat | 51% of calories | 41 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 720 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
How do you keep orange chicken crispy?
Fry it twice, the second time hotter, and toss it in the sauce only at the last moment. Serve it right away; the coating softens as it sits in the sauce.
Can I make orange chicken in an air fryer?
Yes. Coat the chicken, spray it well with oil and air-fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. It's less crunchy than fried but still good.
Is orange chicken gluten-free?
Not as written: regular soy sauce contains wheat, and the coating uses flour. Use tamari and replace the flour with more cornstarch to make it gluten-free.
