Orange Chicken is one of those Chinese-American classics I can never quite resist—equal parts guilty pleasure and nostalgic comfort food. My version takes the familiar flavors you might know from places like Panda Express or Costco and gives them a serious upgrade with a trio of orange: fresh juice for brightness, zest for aroma, and marmalade for that sticky, candy-like glaze.
Each piece of chicken gets marinated, battered, and fried until it’s shatteringly crisp, then tossed in a tangy-sweet sauce that clings to every crevice. The result? A dish that’s crisp yet sticky, savory and brimming with zesty orange goodness. Best of all, it's easy enough to do on weeknights in about the time it takes to place a DoorDash order.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Triple Orange Flavor. Fresh juice, fragrant zest, and pectin-rich marmalade flood the chicken with bright citrus while naturally thickening the glaze—no extra sugar syrup or cornstarch slurry required.
- Flavorful Chicken: Marinating skin-on thigh meat with soy sauce, sake, and fresh ginger ensures it's seasoned all the way through, and the ginger contains an enzyme called zingibain that helps tenderize the meat.
- Starch the Chicken—Not the Sauce: Dusting the marinated chicken with potato starch coating helps the orange sauce to cling to the chicken without making it gummy.
Ingredients
- Boneless skin-on chicken thigh - This is my preferred cut for my best orange chicken recipe, as they remain tender and juicy after cooking. If you can't find it, I have instructions for how you can debone whole thighs and legs. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are another good option. Boneless chicken breasts will work if you are concerned about calories, but they will not be as flavorful and can easily dry out when cooking. Another great option for parties is to make meatballs with ground chicken seasoned with the marinade ingredients before shaping them into balls or chicken nuggets and coating them in starch. This simple change can turn this dish into a delicious party food perfect for potlucks and barbecues.
- Soy sauce - A tablespoon soy sauce is the primary seasoning for the crispy chicken pieces, imparting umami and a deep savory flavor to the marinade. For a gluten-free version, tamari can be substituted.
- Sake - Sake is a Japanese rice wine that adds umami and depth of flavor to the chicken while helping to tenderize it. The alcohol burns off when you cook it, but if you're concerned about this, you can also substitute in water and a pinch of MSG. Shaoxing is another rice wine that would make a good substitute.
- Ginger - Ginger contains a proteolytic enzyme called zingibain, which helps tenderize the chicken pieces while giving them a spicy zing. I like to keep the marinade pretty simple, but you can also add some grated cloves of garlic or garlic powder to give it even more flavor.
- Oil - To fry the chicken, use a neutral flavor oil with a high smoke point. Peanut oil, canola oil, and avocado oil are all good options.
- Potato starch - Coating the pieces of thigh meat with potato starch before dropping it in the deep fryer creates a crispy coating that helps thicken the orange sauce while helping it cling to each morsel of juicy chicken. There's also a small amount of starch in the sauce itself. Cornstarch is a viable alternative, but the texture will be more heavy. That's because cornstarch has smaller granules, which leads to a denser coating. Its higher ratio of amylose to amylopectin also tends to give it an unpleasant gummy texture as it cools.
- Orange marmalade - Marmalade is my secret ingredient for making the best orange chicken sauce. Thanks to the pectin it contains, it adds sweetness and a potent orange flavor to the sauce while thickening it. It also means you don't have to add any extra sugar. I recommend using a cheap marmalade (think Smucker's), as these tend to be less bitter than the fancier brands.
- Orange juice - The backbone of the homemade orange sauce, it provides the tangy, citrusy notes you expect from this popular dish. Freshly squeezed juice is ideal for the best flavor, and you'll need to squeeze around three medium oranges to get enough juice for the sauce. OJ from a carton will also work, but I recommend using one from the refrigerated aisle of grocery stores.
- Orange zest - Adding fresh orange zest to the sauce brightens the flavor profile, adding the vibrant citrusy aroma that only fresh oranges have.
- Garnishes - I like garnishing my best orange chicken with finely chopped red bell peppers and toasted sesame seeds, elevating the look on par with its outstanding flavor. The peppers add a sweet, crisp contrast to the dish and a pop of color, and the sesame seeds add a nutty finish that contrasts nicely with the sweet and savory sauce. Fresh chili peppers or dried pepper flakes are another great option to bump up the heat.
How to make Orange Chicken
Preparing the Chicken
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Marinate the pieces of chicken in a marinade mixture of soy sauce, sake, and ginger. This not only seasons the meat, imparting loads of umami, but it also gives it a pleasant ginger kick that complements the orange flavor in the sauce. Ginger is also a natural meat tenderizer. I usually start marinating in the morning so that it's well seasoned by the time I'm ready to make this dish for dinner. If you're in a rush, you could get away with a marination time as short as fifteen minutes.
When you're ready to cook, heat 2 inches of oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to 340°F (170°C). This temperature is crucial as it's hot enough to crisp the chicken quickly without absorbing too much oil, resulting in a lighter, less greasy crust. While the oil is heating, add potato starch to a shallow bowl and coat the marinated chicken pieces with a thin, even starch coating. This is how I make my Karaage, so the fried chicken is pretty awesome on its own, and you may be tempted to snack on a few bites before throwing it into the sauce. When I make Karaage at home, I often make extra and use the leftovers to make this.
Fry the coated chicken in batches until each piece is uniformly golden brown and cooked through, then drain on a paper towel-lined rack.
Making the Orange Sauce
Add all of the orange sauce ingredients to a skillet and whisk together. Put the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the fried chicken to the tangy sauce and toss to glaze the chicken with sauce. The crispy starch coating melds with the sticky sauce, ensuring each bite is enveloped in that sticky, sweet, and tangy goodness. Garnish with minced red bell pepper and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
What to Serve With Orange Chicken
If I'm doing a Chinese take-out night at home, I usually like to make a batch of fluffy white rice, such as Jasmine rice. For the full Panda Express orange chicken experience, try making a stir fry recipe like my Chow Mein, Black Pepper Steak, Black Pepper Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Broccoli Beef, and Chinese Garlic Green Beans. To make this a healthier meal, try making it with skinless chicken breasts and serving it with cauliflower rice or brown rice.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
for chicken
- 450 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs (cut into 1.5-inch pieces)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
- ½ cup potato starch
- vegetable oil (for frying)
for orange sauce
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup orange marmalade
- ½ tablespoon orange zest (zest of ½ orange)
- ½ teaspoon potato starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
to serve
- ¼ red bell pepper (minced, for garnish)
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Add the 450 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sake, and 1 teaspoon fresh ginger to a medium bowl and mix. Let this marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- Add all the ¾ cup orange juice, ⅓ cup orange marmalade, ½ tablespoon orange zest, ½ teaspoon potato starch, and ½ teaspoon salt into a skillet and whisk together.
- When you're ready to make the orange chicken, preheat a heavy pot filled with 2 inches of vegetable oil to 340°F (170°C). Prepare a paper towel-lined rack.
- Add ½ cup potato starch to a shallow bowl, and dip chicken pieces in the starch to evenly coat them. You want an even coating, but it should not be caked on.
- Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, flipping a few times to ensure it browns evenly.
- Drain the chicken on the prepared rack and repeat.
- To make the orange sauce, heat the skillet with the sauce ingredients over medium-high heat and stir constantly until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the fried chicken to the orange sauce and toss to coat evenly. The orange chicken is done when the sauce forms a thick glaze around the pieces of the chicken. Garnish with ¼ red bell pepper and ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds.
Nutrition Facts
FAQ
Orange Chicken is a Chinese-American comfort food classic made by tossing crispy fried chicken in a sticky, tangy-sweet orange sauce.
Although this fragrant chicken dish has become a staple of Chinese take-out, orange chicken was created in the US. Like most Chinese-American dishes, it takes inspiration from traditional Chinese flavors and techniques, but it's a relatively modern creation that's thought to have been popularized in Hawaii by Panda Express during the 1980s. With parallels to other American Chinese food classics like General Tso's Chicken and Sweet and Sour Sauce
Since this recipe does not use a flour-based batter, it can easily be made gluten-free using a soy sauce alternative like tamari or coconut aminos for the marinade mixture.
Since "healthy" is subjective, it's tough to answer this question definitively, but this recipe is a healthier version than most because it is not made with a flour batter (which tends to absorb oil), and the sauce does not have any added sugar(beyond what's in the orange juice and marmalade).
If you're anything like me, leftover orange chicken isn't a thing, but if you do find yourself with a few uneaten bites, you can save them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a couple of days.
Mick says
Very easy to make but also mildly challenging for technique.
Found difficulty with zest increased a bit of jam and juice.
Get actual juice unsweetened - if necessary use actual oranges and throw in the pulp to the dish.
Marmalade will enough sweetener.
I used regular wholemeal flour in place of the potato starch.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mick, I'm sorry you had trouble zesting. Assuming you're using a microplane to zest, you want to swipe the orange against the plane away from you, rotating the orange slightly between each swipe. To get even coverage I usually go around the orange (like I'm peeling it) from the top until I get half way, then I turn the orange around and start from the bottom and work my way to the middle again.
Jo says
Hi Marc,
I love your recipes! I've tried at least a dozen and they are all fabulous. I made this orange chicken and sadly found that the orange marmalade left a bitter after-taste. So, I mixed 50:50 orange and ginger marmalade. The result was better than expected actually. Really, really good! And no pithy after taste.
Any chance of a lemon chicken recipe Marc?! 😋
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jo, thanks for the note! Unfortunately marmalade tends to vary widely depending on the brand. Here in Japan (and in the US) the cheap ones tend to be mostly sugar and don't have much much bitterness, but I think this might depend on where you're at. The more expensive marmalades tend to contain more orange peel which makes them bitter. I'm happy to hear you were able to find a solution. Thank you for sharing!
John P says
By far, the best orange chicken that I have ever prepared. There is no comparison to commercial "orange sauces", this actually has 3 REAL orange components to it and the ginger and sake in the marinade take it over the top! Thank you for sharing this fanstastic recipe. I won't use another one again!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks John! The 3 sources of orange flavor is definitely the key to quickly making a flavorful sauce. Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it!
Forrest says
I understand the chicken needs to be fried twice to get the correct crispiness. I've done it, it works, but in your experience have you seen this. I've also tried frying the oil with whole sections of orange peel (to discard) which seems to impart some useful flavor.
Marc says
Hi Forrest, the tradeoff there is crispness vs juiciness. I'd much rather have a beautifully glazed piece of juicy chicken than one that may be crispy on the outside but is dry on the inside. As for adding orange peel to the oil, it's an interesting idea, but this sauce includes 3 forms of orange (including zest) so I think adding zest to the frying oil might be overkill.
Nancy Benavidez says
What type of sake do i use
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Nancy, any kind of drinking sake will work. You can check out this video on sake to learn more about it and why it's added to food. https://youtu.be/C2p6MN4EVeA
Laramie Crow says
Typo in content section headed "How do you make Orange Chicken?, about two thirds of the way down second paragraph: Cornstach
All the best!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Laramie, thanks for the heads up! It's fixed now😉
Laramie Crow says
De nada.
Erika says
Hey Marc, thank you for featuring this recipe again. I have a question regarding the marmelade. When I tried this recipe for the first time maybe a week ago I noticed that, even though I made sure to use the cheapest marmelade available, the taste still was very bitter - so much that it almost spoiled the dish for me. Since I'm from Europe I thought that there might be some regional differences in the orange marmelade. That's why I'd like to know to which extend there is any bitterness in the cheap American marmelade you suggest for this recipe. Do I have to imagine it all sweet or is there supposed to be some bitterness in this dish from the beginning? Since I haven't had the fast food version of orange chicken yet (you can't get it where I live) I find that very hard to understand.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Erika, I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. The marmalade you use should not be bitter, the one I used barely had any skin it in it, and only had a faint hint of bitterness. I hadn't really considered the possibility, but it's possible that different regions have different tastes. Is there a brand of marmalade geared for children there? If you can't find one that is not bitter, you could try to substitute apricot jam for the marmalade and grate in extra orange zest.
Erika says
Hi Marc, thank you so much for your reply! Since orange marmalade is considered more of a gourmet food around here I don't think there is any brand that targets children. Sweet apricot jam however is on every breakfast table. I actually had considered substituting the orange marmalade for apricot jam before, but didn't go through with it. I guess I will give it a try now. 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Great, give it a try and let me know how it goes.
Erika says
Update: I finally did it. I used super-cheap apricot jam, infused it with a few drops of orange-scented olive oil and did the rest accordingly to your recipe. It turned out well and reminded me of things you would get at a not-so-fancy china restaurant. It tasted good though. Thank you for the suggestion.
Devin M says
Up in the top, you say that "you should easily get 1/3 cup of juice from one orange." But the recipe calls for 3/4 cup of orange juice and 1/3 cup of marmalade. I was just wondering is that correct, or is it a typo? It sounds good, I just want to make sure I get it right.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Devin, to be honest it's been a while since I've squeezed an orange, so I can't say for certain you'd only get 1/3 of a cup from an orange (that sounds low...). What I can say is that 3/4 cup of juice for the sauce is correct. Hope that helps!