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Orange chicken, Chicken

Orange chicken

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Orange chicken is asweet and tangy dish made with crispy fried chicken coated in a rich orangesauce. It’s quick to prepare at home and tastes just as delicious as takeout.This easy recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners or when you crave a bright,citrusy meal.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 3
Author sumisculinarynotes

Ingredients

Marination:

  • 300 g boneless skinless chicken thighs — cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch plus 1 tbsp for coating before frying
  • Salt if needed (see notes)
  • ½ tsp pepper powder
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil for marinade
  • 2-3 tbsps sesame oil for frying

Sauce:

  • ½ cup 120 ml orange juice — fresh or bottled
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1 ½ tbsp sugar brown or white
  • 1 tsp orange zest optional, for a stronger flavour
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • ½ tsp chili flakes optional, for spice
  • 1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water slurry for thickening

Garnish (optional)

  • Spring onions
  • Sesame seeds

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

  • Mix chicken pieces with soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, salt, pepper, and oil.
    300 g boneless, ½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, Salt, ½ tsp pepper powder, 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • Let it sit for 10–15 minutes.

Fry the chicken

  • Toss marinated chicken lightly in 1 tbsp more cornstarch just before cooking.
    1 tbsp cornstarch
  • Heat sesame oil in a pan (about 2–3 tbsp).
    2-3 tbsps sesame oil
  • Pan-fry or shallow-fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through (6–8 minutes).
  • Remove and drain excess oil.

Make the sauce

  • In the same pan, leave about 1 tsp of oil.
  • Sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant (30 seconds).
    1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger
  • Add orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, orange zest, and chilli flakes.
    ½ cup 120 ml orange juice — fresh or bottled, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 ½ tbsp sugar, 1 tsp orange zest, ½ tsp chili flakes
  • Bring to a simmer.
  • Mix 1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water to make a slurry.
    1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
  • Pour the slurry into the simmering sauce while stirring.
  • Cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
  • Add the fried chicken pieces into the pan.
  • Toss well so each piece is coated with the thick orange glaze.

Garnish & serve

  • Garnish with sesame seeds or spring onions if you like.
    Spring onions, Sesame seeds
  • Serve hot with steamed rice, noodles, or fried rice.

Notes

Check the salt before adding any extra, as soy sauce already contains salt. Add more only if needed.