Best Orange Chicken

Crisp juicy fried chicken glazed in a sweet and sour orange sauce that's redolent of fresh citrus thanks to a triple dose of orange.

Orange chicken is the most ordered dish at Panda Express for a reason. Now imagine it with real oranges and a ginger-soy marinade.

Course Entree

Cuisine Best, Chinese-American

Keyword easy, orange, quick

Level Beginner

Main Ingredient Fruit, Poultry

Diet Dairy-Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Marination time 15

Total Time 35

Servings small servings

Calories 417kcal

Equipment

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)

Grams + US Cups - US Standard

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.
450 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sake, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
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.
¾ cup orange juice, ⅓ cup orange marmalade, ½ tablespoon orange zest, ½ teaspoon potato starch, ½ teaspoon salt
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.
vegetable oil
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.
½ cup potato starch
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.
¼ red bell pepper, ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Video

Nutrition