There’s no need to order out! This Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken is ready to go in a little over an hour.
Serve this Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken on a bed of Instant Pot Sticky Rice or Better Than Takeout Fried Rice. I love to whip up a batch of Homemade Potstickers to go with ALL of my Asian dishes!
As good as the “real” thing
The other day I decided that I needed to search for a few recipes online and see if I could make some Orange chicken that would be equally as good as to the one I love. That’s not always easy to do, especially with Asian food.
I was really skeptical about the end results but I have to say, this orange chicken is by far better than any takeout we’ve ever had. It’s delicious!
Prepare to spend a little extra time prepping this recipe and doing a few more dishes. Don’t worry guys, it’s worth it!
It’s got great flavor, an amazing texture to it and will have all of your family fooled. They’ll think you ordered out! Next up- sweet n’ sour and sesame chicken!
Making better than take out orange chicken
PREP. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, lightly spray a 9×13 inch glass pan, set aside.
SAUCE. In a medium size mixing bowl (or a 2 c. measuring cup), whisk together the chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, Sriracha, ginger, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, set aside.
COAT CHICKEN. Place the cubes of chicken into a bowl with the whisked eggs, toss the chicken (taking care to let the egg drip off it) into a large Ziploc bag full of the cornstarch. Zip and shake until evenly coated.
FRY. Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Working in batches (3-4), add the chicken and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
COAT + BAKE. Add the fried chicken to the prepared 9×13 pan. Whisk together a slurry of 1 tbsp. of cornstarch and 1 tbsp. of water, add to the sauce and then pour over the chicken. Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Remove and serve immediately.
Tips + Variations
This sweet and tangy orange chicken is sure to be a hit with your family any night of the week! Here are a few tips when making it:
- Peanut or canola oil can be used to fry the chicken instead of vegetable oil.
- Reserve some of the sauce (or make extra) to serve over white rice with your chicken.
- If you don’t have a zester a cheese grater or vegetable peeler can be used instead. When using a cheese grater be sure to choose the side with the smallest holes and lightly zest the orange to get just the top layer of the peel. If using a peeler, be sure to use a light touch working from the bottom to the top to make sure no pith (or bitter white layer or the orange) is showing.
- ½ cup of honey or ⅓ cup of agave syrup can be swapped out for the sugar in the sauce.
Storing Info
STORE leftover orange chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
FREEZE for up to 6 months.
Reheat chicken straight from the freezer by warming on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
More take out inspired classics:
- Beef And Broccoli
- Better Than Takeout Sesame Chicken
- Sweet And Sour Chicken
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- Better Than Takeout Cashew Chicken
Baking Tools & Ingredients You Will Need For This Recipe:
Better than Takeout Orange Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 1/2 tsp Sriracha
- 1/4 tsp ginger freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch or tapioca flour
- 1 Tbsp water
For The Chicken
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cut into 1" chunks
- 3/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca flour
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 cups vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees, lightly spray a 9×13 inch glass pan, set aside.
- In a medium size mixing bowl (or a 2 c. measuring cup), whisk together the chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, Sriracha, ginger, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, set aside.
- Place the cubes of chicken into a bowl with the whisked eggs, toss the chicken (taking care to let the egg drip off it) into a large ziplock bag full of the cornstarch. Zip and shake until evenly coated.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven. Working in batches (3-4), add the chicken and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the fried chicken to the prepared 9×13 pan. Whisk together a slurry of 1 tbsp. of cornstarch and 1 tbsp. of water, add to the sauce and then pour over the chicken. Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Remove and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe source: slightly adapted from Damn Delicious