Description
Crispy Orange Chicken delivers a tangy restaurant-style dinner that comes together faster than ordering takeout. Zesty orange sauce coats perfectly golden chicken pieces, making weeknight meals deliciously simple and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken thighs
- 1 cup cornstarch
Sauce Ingredients:
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
Seasoning and Cooking Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- Cooked white rice
- Sesame seeds
- Green onions
Instructions
- Blend 1 cup cornstarch with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Toss 2 pounds chicken pieces in the mixture until each morsel is completely coated.
- Drizzle 1 beaten egg over the chicken and gently mix, ensuring every piece gets an even egg wash.
- Pour ¼ cup vegetable oil into a large skillet, heating to 375°F. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer without overcrowding.
- Fry chicken for 5-6 minutes, rotating occasionally to achieve a deep golden-brown exterior. Ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F before removing.
- Drain fried chicken on a paper towel-lined rack to remove excess oil.
- Combine ½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons honey in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to create a slurry. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes until thickened.
- Gently fold chicken into the sauce, coating each piece thoroughly. Warm for 1-2 minutes.
- Plate over steamed white rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired.
Notes
- Coat chicken pieces thoroughly in cornstarch for an extra crispy exterior that seals in moisture during frying.
- Use a thermometer to check chicken’s internal temperature, ensuring perfectly cooked meat without drying out.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari and use gluten-free cornstarch.
- Let the sauce simmer slowly to develop rich, deep flavors and achieve the perfect thick consistency without burning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 474 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 592 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 93 mg