Description
This Super Easy Orange Chicken recipe features crispy, tender chicken pieces coated in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy orange sauce. Perfect as a quick and flavorful dinner, the chicken is pan-fried to golden perfection and tossed in a vibrant homemade orange sauce garnished with sesame seeds and green onions. Ready in under an hour, this dish pairs wonderfully with steamed rice or your favorite sides.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Orange Sauce
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Garnishes
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Begin by cutting the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and easy serving.
- Mix Dry Coating: In a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper to create the coating mixture.
- Beat Eggs: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly until well combined, which will help the coating adhere to the chicken.
- Heat Oil: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat to prepare for frying the chicken.
- Coat Chicken in Egg: Dip each chicken piece into the beaten eggs, making sure it is fully coated for the dry mixture to stick.
- Coat with Flour Mixture: Dredge the egg-coated chicken pieces in the cornstarch and flour mixture, pressing gently for an even coating.
- Fry Chicken: Once the oil is hot, carefully add the coated chicken pieces in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for about 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
- Drain Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Start Sauce: In the same skillet, add orange juice, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer Sauce: Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar and blend the flavors, allowing the sauce to come to a gentle simmer.
- Thicken Sauce: Add the dissolved cornstarch mixture gradually, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the fried chicken to the skillet, tossing to coat each piece evenly with the thickened orange sauce.
- Heat Through: Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to warm the chicken completely and allow it to soak up the sauce flavors.
- Add Garnishes: Sprinkle sesame seeds over the chicken and garnish with sliced green onions for a fresh finish.
- Serve: Serve the orange chicken hot over steamed rice or enjoy it on its own as a flavorful meal.
Notes
- For extra heat, increase the amount of red pepper flakes or add a dash of sriracha to the sauce.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying to achieve a crispy coating without excessive oil absorption.
- If you prefer gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Leftover orange chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Garnishing with sesame seeds and green onions adds texture and flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
