Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Marinating time: 30 mins | Ready in 1 hr 10 mins | Servings: 5
I so love the brimming orange flavour of this chicken dish. It’s way better than takeout and incredibly easy to prep. Crispy chicken pieces coated with the most amazing, sweet, and sticky orange sauce served over white or brown rice for a deliciously filling meal!
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 – 1 1/2” pieces
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (zest of 1 1/2 fairly large oranges)
1/2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
2 tablespoons grated yellow onion (be sure to get some of the juices when measuring)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce (optional)
Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
1 1/4 c. + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
2 large eggs
vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
Chopped green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
How to make Chinese Orange Chicken
Step 1: In a gallon-sized resealable bag, place the pieces of chicken and set them aside.
Step 2: Combine the chicken broth, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, granulated sugar, ginger, yellow onion, garlic, Sriracha, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Stir well until combined. In a resealable bag, add 2/3 cup of the mixture and set the rest aside. Press the excess air out before sealing the bag. In a bowl or baking dish, place the bag and into the fridge to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: In the meantime, heat the rest of the sauce mixture over medium heat. Bring to just a boil while rarely stirring.
Step 4: Whisk 2 tbsp each cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Pour this into the sauce and stir. Then, adjust the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for a minute or two more, stirring until the sauce thickened. When done, take off the heat.
Step 5: Into a large cast-iron or dutch oven, pour the vegetable oil filling it to about 1 1/2 – 2-inches deep. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. In the meantime, add the eggs to a shallow bowl and whisk until blended. Into another shallow dish, pour the rest of the 1 1/4 cups cornstarch.
Step 6: Take the chicken out of the marinade. In the egg, dip the chicken, then coat with cornstarch, tossing the chicken until evenly coated. Into the hot oil, carefully place 1/3 of the chicken pieces. Cook, turning once until golden. This takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Take the fried chicken out with a skimmer and place it on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet to drain the oil. Do the same with the remaining chicken, cooking in two more batches.
Step 7: Into the bowl with the sauce, transfer the fried chicken and toss. Enjoy warm garnished with green onions and sesame seeds over white or brown rice.
Note:
To prevent the oil temperature from dropping, fry the chicken in batches. Make sure the oil stays hot enough to properly fry the chicken.
Nutrition Facts:
Amount Per Serving: Calories 608 | Calories from Fat 252 | Fat 28g 43% | Saturated Fat 19g 119% | Cholesterol 152mg 51% | Sodium 874mg 38% | Potassium 642mg 18% | Carbohydrates 54g 18% | Sugar 22g 24% | Protein 33g 66% | Vitamin A 185IU 4% | Vitamin C 17.1mg 21% | Calcium 24mg 2% | Iron 1.4mg 8%
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 - 1 1/2” pieces
- 1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (zest of 1 1/2 fairly large oranges)
- 1/2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/3 c. white vinegar
- 1/4 c. soy sauce
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
- 2 tablespoons grated yellow onion (be sure to get some of the juices when measuring)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce (optional)
- Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
- 1 1/4 c. + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 large eggs
- vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
- Chopped green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: In a gallon-sized resealable bag, place the pieces of chicken and set them aside.
Step 2: Combine the chicken broth, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, granulated sugar, ginger, yellow onion, garlic, Sriracha, and pepper in a medium saucepan. Stir well until combined. In a resealable bag, add 2/3 cup of the mixture and set the rest aside. Press the excess air out before sealing the bag. In a bowl or baking dish, place the bag and into the fridge to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: In the meantime, heat the rest of the sauce mixture over medium heat. Bring to just a boil while rarely stirring.
Step 4: Whisk 2 tbsp each cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Pour this into the sauce and stir. Then, adjust the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for a minute or two more, stirring until the sauce thickened. When done, take off the heat.
Step 5: Into a large cast-iron or dutch oven, pour the vegetable oil filling it to about 1 1/2 - 2-inches deep. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. In the meantime, add the eggs to a shallow bowl and whisk until blended. Into another shallow dish, pour the rest of the 1 1/4 cups cornstarch.
Step 6: Take the chicken out of the marinade. In the egg, dip the chicken, then coat with cornstarch, tossing the chicken until evenly coated. Into the hot oil, carefully place 1/3 of the chicken pieces. Cook, turning once until golden. This takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Take the fried chicken out with a skimmer and place it on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet to drain the oil. Do the same with the remaining chicken, cooking in two more batches.
Step 7: Into the bowl with the sauce, transfer the fried chicken and toss. Enjoy warm garnished with green onions and sesame seeds over white or brown rice.
Notes
To prevent the oil temperature from dropping, fry the chicken in batches. Make sure the oil stays hot enough to properly fry the chicken.
