Orange Chicken (Better than Takeout!)
Orange Chicken is one of my easiest better than takeout recipes to recreate at home. Combining crispy fried chunks of chicken with a tangy and sweet orange glaze makes for the most satisfying weeknight dinner at home. And, steal my go-to batter and pro tips for frying the lightest, crispiest chicken. You won’t have to leave your own house anymore for the best orange chicken!
Classic Chinese Restaurant Orange Chicken But Better
Who’s ready for this new BETTER THAN TAKEOUT SERIES featuring all of your favorites go-to dishes! We are making the popular Orange Chicken that is sweet, tangy, savory, and all the best flavors in one dish for the first dish. Made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients, you need to try my super yummy Orange Chicken that I promise is better than ANY TAKEOUT!
I like to pair Orange Chicken with chow mein, fried rice, or stir-fried veggies, which all recipes will be coming soon! If you want to make a healthier version, skip the deep fry, and pan-fry the chicken instead.
Orange Chicken Ingredients
- 6 pieces Boneless Chicken Thigh cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup Rice Flour
- ¼ cup Corn Starch
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- Salt and Pepper to season
- ⅓ cup Soda Water
- 1 Egg
Orange Chicken Glaze
- ½ cup Orange Juice
- 2.5 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp minced Garlic
- 3-4 tbsp honey
- 1.5 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 0.5 tbsp grated Ginger
- Orange Zest from 1 orange
- 2 tbsp Corn Starch
- 3 tbsp Cold Water
Extra Light Chicken Batter
To make crispy yet light Orange Chicken, I use my secret extra light batter: rice flour, and soda water. Rice flour is gluten-free and lighter compare to traditional flour. At the same time, the bubbly soda water provides air into the batter, which gives it a light, fluffy texture instead.
Another pro tip, let the chicken sit in the batter for 20 minutes before frying. This helps the batter meld with the moisture in the chicken and stick better. Optional, but HIGHLY recommended, you definitely should double fry the chicken for the extra crispiness! The second round of frying at a higher heat will push out all the moisture, leaving the chicken super crunchy.
Easy Orange Chicken Glaze
All you need for the Orange Chicken glaze is soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, Red chili pepper, grated ginger, oyster sauce, orange juice, and orange zest.
Add the orange zest near the end to give the sauce the extra tangy kick. If you like it spicy, you can also add in some chili paste or sriracha sauce.
The best part about home cooking is adjusting the recipe to your liking, taste before adding in the chicken to see if you want the sauce to be more sweet, tangy, savory, or spicy.
How To Make Orange Chicken
- Marinate the chicken with soy sauce, minced garlic, salt, pepper, corn starch, rice flour, soda water, and egg.
- Massage everything together; you want a thick but slightly runny consistency; add more rice flour or soda water if needed. Rest for 20 minutes.
- Mix soy sauce, minced garlic, orange juice, chili flakes, honey, oyster sauce, and grated ginger in a bowl.
- Add in oil (enough to cover the chicken) in a pan, and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add in the chicken and deep fry for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.
- Optional: remove the chicken, set aside. Turn the heat up to high, add back in the chicken, and deep fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the sauce mixture to a separate pan, and let it simmer on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Combine 2 tbsp of corn starch with 3 tbsp of cold water. Pour in the corn starch mixture into the pan, grate in fresh orange zest, and simmer for another 30 seconds.
- Add in the crispy chicken, sesame seeds, and toss on high heat for 1 minute.
Make it a full Better Than Takeout Meal with my go-to recipes!
- Mongolian Beef (BETTER THAN TAKEOUT!)
- Egg Drop Soup with Crab (15 Minutes)
- The BEST Black Pepper Beef and Broccoli (Tender Beef)
- Kung Pao Chicken (Better Than Takeout)
Orange Chicken
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 6 pieces Boneless Chicken Thigh cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup Rice Flour
- ¼ cup Corn Starch
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- Salt and Pepper to season
- ⅓ cup Soda Water
- 1 Egg
Orange Chicken Glaze
- ½ cup Orange Juice
- 2.5 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1.5 tbsp minced Garlic
- 3-4 tbsp honey
- 1.5 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 0.5 tbsp grated Ginger
- Orange Zest from 1 orange
- 2 tbsp Corn Starch
- 3 tbsp Cold Water
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with soy sauce, minced garlic, salt, pepper, corn starch, rice flour, soda water, and egg.
- Massage everything together; you want a thick but slightly runny consistency; add more rice flour or soda water if needed. Rest for 20 minutes.
- Mix soy sauce, minced garlic, orange juice, chili flakes, honey, oyster sauce, and grated ginger in a bowl.
- Add in oil (enough to cover the chicken) in a pan, and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add in the chicken and deep fry for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.
- Optional: remove the chicken, set aside. Turn the heat up to high, add back in the chicken, and deep fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the sauce mixture to a separate pan, and let it simmer on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Combine 2 tbsp of corn starch with 3 tbsp of cold water. Pour in the corn starch mixture into the pan, grate in fresh orange zest, and simmer for another 30 seconds.
- Add in the crispy chicken, sesame seeds, and toss on high heat for 1 minute.
