Chinese takeouts have always been my go-to’s at the mall since they’re incredibly affordable and they do a real good job at keeping you stuffed. My usual combos consist of noodles, a side of veggies, and some kind of protein like this orange chicken.
Writing about this is already making me drool (or maybe it’s just the midnight munchies hitting again). Something about the crisp exterior of fried chicken that’s tossed with a sweet, tangy orange sauce immediately makes my mouth water…
For this homemade orange chicken, it’s a fairly straight forward recipe. First, we create a simple batter to coat the chicken pieces, and then we give them a quick fry to cook and crisp up (bonus points if you double fry them!).
Then we pour our orange sauce into our wok or pan to thicken before finally tossing in the fried chicken to get it nicely coated in that delectable sauce.
Prepare this as a weeknight meal or for a large gathering, this will definitely bring that taste of Chinese takeout into your own home!
Ingredients for Orange Chicken:
Chicken thighs/breast: I may be a bit biased, but I love going for dark meat (aka. thighs) whenever I make orange chicken because of the extra fattiness and juiciness that dark meat lends. I will say that I’ve tried this recipe with both dark and white chicken meat and they’ve both turned out equally as great.
Cornstarch, flour, ground pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, egg white, water: These will be the components for our chicken batter. You’ll want to aim for a thin, paint-like batter consistency to ensure the fried chicken remains light and crisp. If you find the batter to be a bit too thick, add more water a tablespoon at a time until you’ve reach the desired consistency.
Ginger, garlic, soy sauce, orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, shaoxing wine: These will be the ingredients to make that iconic orange chicken sauce. Feel free to adjust the sauce to your preferences; such as adding more or less sugar if needed.
*Note: Be sure not to include too much of the pith (the white portion underneath the peel) when zesting your orange because it can turn your sauce incredibly bitter!
Instructions:
In a bowl, combine together all the ingredients for the batter. Whisk until you have a smooth and thin, paint-like batter consistency (add more water if too thick). Mix in the chicken until all the pieces are well coated
Deep fry the coated chicken pieces for about 5-7 minutes, or until fully cooked through and golden.
Double fry (optional, but highly recommended):
Turn the heat to high, and fry the chicken for a second time for around 30-60 seconds until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
Mix together all the ingredients for the orange sauce. Pour the sauce into a large pan or wok and bring to a boil for about 2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened.
Once thickened, toss in the fried chicken pieces until they’re fully coated in the orange sauce.
Serve immediately. Top with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Original Orange Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
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