Tender, crispy chicken smothered in a deliciously fresh, sweet and tangy orange sauce, This Chinese Orange Chicken recipe rivals your favorite takeout!
This Chinese Orange Chicken is tender, chewy, crispy, citrusy, sweet, tangy and spicy all in one!
What is Orange Chicken?
Orange Chicken is a super popular Chinese fast food dish of Hunan origin that features chopped, battered, and fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet orange-flavored, caramelized chili sauce. The version that most people are familiar with in the U.S. is the version attributed to Panda Express that is more of a variation of General Tso’s Chicken.
This Orange Chicken recipe is a little truer to authentic origins in that it isn’t as goopy as many Chinese-American restaurant versions. So while this isn’t a direct Panda Express copycat recipe, if you like the version at Panda Express you’re going to be over the moon with this version!
Deliciously tasty with an accompanying kick, this is sure to become your go-to whenever you’re craving Chinese Orange Chicken!
Chinese Orange Chicken Recipe
Let’s get started!
Chop up the chicken in 1/2 inch pieces.  We’re now going to proceed with a Chinese stir-frying method known as “velveting” to achieve a nice coating for the chicken. To velvet the chicken, combine the egg white, cornstarch, sherry, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Stir to combine.
Add the chicken to a sealable bag and pour the velveting marinade over it. Swish to combine. Refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, shaking off the excess liquid, and give them another roll in some cornstarch (this will make the coating thicker). Heat some oil in high in a wok, deep fryer, or heavy skillet. Carefully lower the chicken into the oil and fry on both sides until a crispy golden brown.  Set the chicken on paper towels to soak up the some of the grease.
Break up the red chiles into pieces and discard the seeds. Be very careful here to avoid touching the seeds (using gloves is recommended). Once you touch the seeds with your fingers they can really burn – avoid all contact with your face and eyes.  Combine all the sauce ingredients.
Heat about a teaspoon of oil on medium-high heat to a wok or large saucepan and saute the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add all remaining ingredients, except for the green onions. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken and green onions and simmer for another 5 minutes to ensure the chicken is fully cooked and the coating has absorbed the flavor of the sauce.
Serve immediately (to retain the ideal texture) with steamed rice. Garnish with fresh orange slices (optional).
Enjoy!
Can I Make Vegetarian Orange Chicken?
Yes! For our vegetarian and vegan readers, you can make Tofu Orange Chicken! Here is how to prepare the tofu and then proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
Crispy Battered Tofu Cubes
- 1 lb extra firm tofu, cut into cubes
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup sparkling/seltzer water
- oil, for frying
Preparation
- In a shallow bowl, combine half of the flour (1/4 cup) with the cornstarch, onion and garlic powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Put the remaining 1/4 cup of flour in a separate bowl.
- Slowly pour the sparkling water into the flour-cornstarch mixture, stirring to thoroughly combine.
- Dip each tofu cube in the plain flour, coating all sides, then dip the cubes into the flour/sparkling water batter.
- Heat a generous amount of oil in a heavy saucepan or frying pan and once it’s hot enough that a drop of water sputters when it hits the oil, carefully drop the battered tofu cubes into the hot oil and fry until golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tofu cubes from the oil and place on paper towels to drain. Use immediately or they will lose their crispness.
Asian food lovers, don’t forget to check out this recipe for the Best Homemade Teriyaki Sauce!
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For more great Chinese dishes be sure to try our:
- Orange Beef
- Sesame Chicken
- Beef and Broccoli
- Hot and Sour Soup
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Mongolian Beef
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Wonton Soup
- Shanghai Noodles
- Mongolian Chicken
- Honey Sesame Chicken
- Shanghai Burgers
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Chicken Teriyaki Noodles
- Szechuan Chicken and Cashew Noodles
BEST Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or equivalent in boneless thigh meat) ,cut into 1/2 inch pieces (vegetarian/vegan: see instructions above this recipe box)
- 2 egg whites (vegetarian/vegan: omit and follow instructions above this recipe box)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sherry or rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger ,minced and reserved for later
- 1 teaspoon garlic ,minced and reserved for later
- For the sauce:
- 1 1/2 cup strong chicken broth (vegetarian/vegan: use vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- low sugar/diabetic substitute
- 2 red chiles ,broken up and seeds discarded (or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes) - we recommend using gloves
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup green onions ,chopped
- Fresh orange slices ,optional
Instructions
- To make the sauce, stir together all ingredients, except for the garlic, ginger, green onions and orange slices. Set aside.
- Combine the egg whites, cornstarch, salt, sherry, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Pour over chicken in a sealable plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, shake off the excess liquid, and give them another roll in some cornstarch (this will create a thicker coating).
- Heat a tablespoon of oil (I use avocado, you can also use canola) over high heat in a wok, deep fryer, or heavy skillet and carefully lower the chicken into the oil. Fry until crispy golden brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to paper towels to absorb the oil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-high and add another teaspoon or so of oil as needed to the saucepan or wok. Saute the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds, then add the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Â
- Add the chicken pieces (or prepared tofu) and green onions to the sauce, stir to coat, and bring the sauce to a low simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice and fresh orange slices (optional).
Nutrition
First published Feb 7, 2013
Nutmeg Nanny says
This orange chicken looks totally delicious! My husband would go crazy over this….yum!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Nutmeg Nanny! We all love it, even our 3 and 5 year olds devour it – we just leave the hot chilies out for them ;)
Lora @cakeduchess says
My kids just love orange chicken! I would make it a little extra spicy for me…looks great!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Lora! :)
Heather says
Mmmm, looks like a home run Tuesday night recipe to me. ;)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
For sure, Heather, thanks! :)
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
Wow, this looks so much better than the restaurant versions – fresher! I’ll have to try this one at home – we’re huge Asian food fans!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Alisa! So are we, Chinese food is one of our favorites!
Danae @ Recipe Runner says
Orange chicken is one of my favorites! I love how crispy your version looks, way better than takeout!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Danae, and yes, it really is so much better than takeout!
heather @french press says
this is my sons favorite meal, and I cannot wait to try and make it for him at home.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Heather, you guys are going to love this!
Shella says
Really love your blog. Such wonderful recipes and such a great presentation…..Awesome
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Shella, and thank you for visiting! – Kimberly
holidaysnoplacelikehome says
Yummy, I can’t wait to try cooking this meal. I love your site and have raved about it with anyone who likes to cook. What I love is how you take pleasant and clear photos of each stage so that I can compare what I’m seeing to your instructions; as a visual person, this is very important to my confidence when trying a new meal. It’s hard to know if the stages of a dish are being completed correctly without a visual check. I wish every recipe was just like yours, which are excellent in every way.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Your comment was the perfect ending to my day, holidaysnoplacelikehome, thank you! :) It takes a great deal of time to include step-by-step photos but I do it for the very reasons you mentioned. I like to make sure my recipes are accessible to everyone, from novice cook to chef, and that includes taking learning styles into account. I really appreciate your taking the time to let me know that the step-by-steps are useful. Thanks so much for telling your friends about The Daring Gourmet and for trying my recipes. I hope to hear from you again! Best, Kimberly
Ana Clara says
Although I didn’t use peppers and ginger since I’m allergic to both, made it yesterday for me and my boyfriend, and the result was astonishing! Perfect mix of flavors, and the chicken was super crispy! I was afraid that they might be over before I finished the sauce. It only took me more than 20 minutes because it was my first time, and there were several different ingredients to get ready. My boyfriend had three servings, and couldn’t have dessert because he was full. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing recipe! I will definitely keep it as a favorite, and try some new ones from this blog!!
The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Ana, I’m so happy it was such a big hit! I appreciate your feedback and look forward to your trying some of the other recipes as well! Best, Kimberly
Kb says
I don’t even know what to say this recipe was sooo good! Thanks for sharing! I am never paying for this meal anywhere ever again. This was perfect in every way and exactly what I was looking for!
The Daring Gourmet says
Woo-hoo!!! I’m so happy to hear that, Kb!! Thanks for making it and for such complimentary feedback! If you’re a Chinese food fan, I’d recommend the Kung Pao Chicken, Mongolian Beef, and the Shanghai Noodles. There are others (you can search by category on the drop-down box on the right-hand side of screen, scroll down), but these are some excellent ones to start with. Thanks again and I hope you’ll visit often!
Stacey says
Should the recipe call for 12 chilies? It reads 2… But the picture shows heaps more… I failed to see the photos until after I cooked it and accidentally cut up the two chilies after deseeding and kept them in sauce. Mine turned out very sweet and very citric (but I accidentally put in 2tbs orang zest:) I didn’t notice instructions about serving straight away after stirring chic through sauce and left mine in way too long. I’m new to cooking and learning to read instructions more thuroughly and also to read reviews (lesson I also learnt today when making my accompanying crab Rangoons:)
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Stacey! Yes, it’s 2 chilies (the picture is just to show what the chilies look like). Traditionally, Chinese Orange Chicken is sweet, not spicy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t leave the seeds in or add more chilies if you prefer it hot. Learning to cook takes time and practice and…mistakes! Lots of them! There isn’t a good cook alive who hasn’t messed up before! I’m just thrilled that you chose to tackle this recipe! Good luck in your cooking endeavors and I hope you’ll try some of the other recipes on here! – Kimberly
Ayako says
Hi Kimberly, I tried this recipe and truly enjoyed! The amount of sugar was slightly concerning, but the taste just came out fine! What didn’t turn out well was deep frying the meat…the batter didn’t stick like it’s supposed to. Any tips on that?
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ayako! I know, the sugar is a bit scary, which is why Chinese food never makes the “healthy cuisines of the world” list ;) As for the batter not sticking, be sure to refrigerate the battered chicken for at least 30 minutes, shake off the excess batter before dipping in the cornstarch and then make sure the oil is hot enough before you lower the chicken into it. If it’s not hot enough, the batter is going to come off and not adhere properly.
Ayako says
I see. Will be careful next time. Thank you!
Austin says
This recipe is great. It took me quite a while to make but it was worth it. Next time, I will put more chilies though. It wasnt spicy at all even with leaving the seeds in. Its just a personal preference.
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Austin, so glad you made and liked it! It’s one of those recipes where once you’ve made it and are familiar with the steps and process, the next time around it goes much quicker. Yeah, I often hesitate even specifying a heat amount, whether chilies or hot sauce, because tastes vary so much as do perceptions of “heat.” So by all means, pile in those chilies the next time! :)
Gilli says
Does the chicken get soggy when it cooking in the sauce please? I think this could be fun for my grandchildren
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi, Gilli! Because of the cornstarch coating which acts as kind of a barrier once the chicken is fried, the chicken itself will, and should, remain fairly dry. But once the chicken is immersed in the sauce and simmered, the coating itself will absorb some of the sauce. The key here is to serve the dish immediately while the texture is still ideal.
I agree, this dish would be lots of fun to prepare with your grandkids! Depending on their age, just go easy on the red chiles or leave them out entirely. Once you get those chile seeds on your fingers they really burn!
Danette McKee Farmer says
This is the third recipe I have made from this wonderful blog! Once again a home run! I had been trying to make orange chicken for a couple of years now, and really did not know what I was doing wrong. VELVETING! As always, the ease of the recipes along with the photos to make sure “it looks right” make this a Go To, mouthwatering, new family favorite! So excited to see what is next!!
The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you for you kind and generous compliments! And thank you for submitting the request for this dish in the first place. I had fun making it and am so glad it turned out a success for you as well!