Go Back

Orange Chicken

5 from 27 votes
Orange Chicken Recipe: Bring the flavors of your favorite restaurant home with this simple recipe. Tender chicken coated in a sticky, sweet, and tangy orange sauce guarantees a delightful meal for the whole family.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Calories: 445
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sauce:
  • 1½ cups water
  • ⅓ cup vinegar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2½ tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp chopped green onion
  • 1 tbsp grated orange zest
  • ¼ tsp minced fresh ginger root
  • ½ tsp minced garlic
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
Chicken:
  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Method
 

  1. Gather all ingredients.
  2. Combine water, rice vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, and orange juice for sauce into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar, green onion, orange zest, ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Pour in 1 cup cooled sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Reserve the remaining sauce.
  4. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in another resealable plastic bag.
  5. Remove chicken from the marinade and place into the bag of seasoned flour. Seal the bag and shake to coat.
  6. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken in the hot skillet until browned on both sides.
  7. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and cover with aluminum foil. Wipe out the skillet.
  8. Pour reserved sauce into the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  9. Mix together cornstarch and water until completely smooth. Stir into the boiling sauce.
  10. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the chicken, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  11. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Notes

Pro Tip: For extra crispy chicken, you can coat the marinated chicken pieces in cornstarch before frying. This will give them a crunchy exterior while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
Variations:
  1. Spicy Orange Chicken: Add a bit more red pepper flakes or some chili sauce to the sauce for a spicier kick.
  2. Orange Garlic Chicken: Increase the amount of minced garlic in the sauce for a stronger garlic flavor.
  3. Orange Sesame Chicken: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the finished dish for a nutty flavor and added crunch.
  4. Orange Pineapple Chicken: Add chunks of pineapple to the sauce for a sweet and tangy twist.
  5. Orange Teriyaki Chicken: Replace the soy sauce in the sauce with teriyaki sauce for a different flavor profile.