This homemade Orange Chicken recipe comes together quickly and easily without deep frying the chicken! Crispy, sticky, and flavourful, this crispy Chinese orange chicken tastes just as delicious as your favorite take-out!
I’m a sucker for crispy deep-fried chicken, especially if it’s coated in a sweet citrusy sauce. And this orange chicken… it’ll hit the spot every time. It’s crispy, fragrant, and sweet! Plus, you won’t believe how easy it is to make at home. You probably have most of the ingredients already!
Why You’ll Love This Orange Chicken Recipe
- If you want to know how to make the tastiest orange chicken sauce, then this one is for you. The sauce is one of my favorites and is super easy to make. It’s so flavourful! I use it for my air fryer orange chicken recipe and orange tofu recipe.
- I shallow-fry the chicken instead of deep-frying. It saves me time, oil, and calories! It’s much less work to clean up the skillet with shallow frying than it is to deep fry the chicken.
- This recipe comes together pretty easily. Just like my air fried orange chicken, this homemade orange chicken does not require batter. Simply toss the chicken in cornstarch, and you’re good to go!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- orange juice — either juice it yourself or buy some no-pulp juice.
- brown sugar — or honey if you prefer.
- rice vinegar — make sure to get unseasoned rice vinegar.
- soy sauce — I recommend using low sodium soy sauce
- oyster sauce — don’t worry, while it’s made from oyster extract, it doesn’t taste like oysters! Check out my post on what is oyster sauce for more recipes using oyster sauce.
- garlic — I like to pre-mince and freeze my own garlic! It’s super convenient and tastes way better than store-bought minced garlic.
- chicken thighs — I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken thighs for super flavourful bites of orange chicken but you can also use chicken breasts.
- cornstarch — to give the chicken that crispy exterior and to thicken the sauce.
- oil — to fry the chicken in.
How to Make Orange Chicken
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup and set aside.
- Add the cut pieces of chicken thighs to a bowl and toss with cornstarch until fully coated.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the cornstarch-coated chicken to the skillet. Once golden, flip the chicken. It should take around 5 to 6 minutes per side.
- Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook in two batches. Set aside the chicken once done.
- Wipe the skillet clean or use a new skillet and add the homemade orange chicken sauce to the skillet and bring it up to a simmer, stirring frequently.
- Once the chicken has almost thickened to your liking, add the crispy chicken to the sauce and toss to coat.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I like to garnish my crispy orange chicken with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.
- I serve my easy orange chicken with jasmine rice, but it’s up to you what you’d like to serve it with.
- Once I’ve added the chicken in a single layer to the skillet, I do not touch it until it’s time to flip it. This ensures each side gets a chance to get a beautiful golden crust on the outside.
- Try my air fryer orange chicken if you want to use less oil.
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the homemade orange chicken recipe in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat: I love reheating this healthier orange chicken recipe in the air fryer as it stays crispy!
Is orange chicken spicy?
Nope! Orange chicken is on the sweeter side. However, if you would like for it to be spicy, you can add some sriracha or red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Can I freeze this?
If you want to freeze orange chicken, I recommend freezing the chicken and sauce separately, so it doesn’t get soggy.
Can I deep fry the chicken?
You sure can! If you prefer to deep fry instead of shallow fry the chicken thighs, you are more than welcome to.
Do I need to use cornstarch?
Yes, you need cornstarch for the crispy coating on the chicken and to help thicken the sauce. You can swap for potato starch if you prefer.
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Orange Chicken
This homemade Orange Chicken recipe comes together quickly and easily without having to deep fry the chicken! Crispy, sticky, and flavourful, this Chinese orange chicken tastes just as delicious as your favourite take-out!
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Orange Sauce
- 1½ cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
For the Chicken
- 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ¼-⅓ cup vegetable oil, or canola oil
Equipment
- Large skillet
Instructions
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup and set aside.
- Add the cut pieces of chicken thighs to a bowl and toss with cornstarch until fully coated.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the cornstarch coated chicken to the skillet. Once golden, flip the chicken. It should take around 5 to 6 minutes per side.
- Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook in two batches. Set aside the chicken once done.
- Wipe the skillet clean or use a new skillet and add the homemade orange chicken sauce to the skillet and bring it up to a simmer, stirring frequently.
- Once the chicken has almost thickened to your liking, add the crispy chicken to the sauce and toss to coat.
Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 566mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 227IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
More Chicken Recipes to Try
- Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs or Gochujang Chicken Thighs (Grilled or Stovetop)
- Honey Sesame Chicken Thighs
- Soboro Don (Ground Chicken Bowl)
- Hot Honey Chicken Thighs
- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Korean Fried Chicken
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