Description
This crispy and tangy Orange Chicken recipe features bite-sized chicken thighs fried to golden perfection and coated in a deliciously glossy, sweet, and slightly spicy orange sauce. Perfectly balanced with fresh orange juice, garlic, ginger, and a touch of soy sauce, it’s an irresistible dish that’s great for weeknight dinners or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1.5 pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Orange Sauce
- 3/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Green onions, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
Instructions
- Heat Oil: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot enough for frying.
- Prepare Chicken: In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with beaten eggs. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and all-purpose flour. Coat each chicken piece thoroughly in the dry mixture.
- Fry Chicken: Fry the coated chicken pieces in batches in the hot oil until golden brown and crispy, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make Sauce: In a separate pan, combine orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic, minced ginger, and orange zest. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes to meld flavors.
- Thicken Sauce: Stir the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce and cook until the sauce thickens to a glossy, smooth consistency.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces to the thickened sauce and toss well to coat each piece evenly.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the dish with sliced green onions and optional red pepper flakes. Serve immediately over steamed rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying to ensure crispy chicken.
- Cooking chicken in batches prevents overcrowding, which keeps the chicken crispy.
- You can adjust the sweetness and acidity of the sauce by tweaking the brown sugar and vinegar amounts.
- Red pepper flakes add heat but can be omitted for a milder flavor.
- Freshly squeezed orange juice and zest enhance the authentic citrus flavor.
