Description
Golden crispy chicken tossed in a sweet, tangy homemade orange sauce. This Homemade Orange Chicken is better than takeout and ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok to 350°F for frying.
- Combine Ingredients: In a bowl, mix cornstarch, flour, and eggs, then coat chicken pieces thoroughly.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Ensure your frying pan is deep enough for the chicken to crisp without crowding.
- Assemble the Dish: Fry chicken in small batches until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
- Cook to Perfection: In a separate pan, whisk together orange juice, zest, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. Simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry until thickened.
- Finishing Touches: Toss the fried chicken into the sauce until each piece glistens.
- Serve and Enjoy: Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds before serving hot over rice.
Notes
- Double-fry the chicken for extra crunch.
- Zest the orange before juicing for convenience.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: orange chicken, homemade orange chicken, Chinese takeout, crispy chicken, sweet and tangy chicken