Orange Chicken is the perfect crunchy chicken that has been coated in a zesty and tangy orange sauce. No need for takeout with this easy and delicious homemade recipe!
4boneless, skinless, chicken breastscut into 1 inch pieces
4-5tbspsesame oil
3eggsbeaten
1½cupsflour
½tspsalt
½tspground white pepper
½tsponion powder
½tspcumin
½tspchili powder
Sauce Ingredients:
1cuporange juicepulp free (I used Simply Orange Pulp Free)
½cupsugar
2tbsprice vinegar
2tbspsoy sauce
½tspground ginger
½tspgarlic powder
Zest from 1 orange
¼ - ½tspred pepper flakesoptional
1½tbspcornstarch
1½tbspwater
Garnish:
5green onionschopped
Sesame seeds
Orange Zest
Instructions
Chicken Directions:
In a small bowl, add eggs and beat together with a whisk.
In a medium bowl add flour, salt, ground white pepper, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder. Whisk together to combine.
Take each piece of chicken and dip it in egg mixture, then dip in flour mixture to coat all sides of the chicken pieces. Set coated chicken on a plate until ready to put in the skillet.
In a large skillet over medium heat add sesame oil. Once oil is hot and shimmering, add coated chicken to the skillet, one piece at a time.
Once all chicken is added to the skillet and has browned on the bottom, individually turn each piece of chicken over and allow it to cook and brown on the other side. Once chicken is done cooking and browned on both sides remove to a paper towel lined plate.
Sauce Directions:
While the chicken is cooking add orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, zest from 1 orange, and red pepper flakes to a medium saucepan. Whisk together to combine. Turn heat to medium and allow sauce to boil 3-4 minutes, whisking often.
In a separate small bowl add the cornstarch and water. Mix together until no lumps remain. Pour into boiling sauce mixture and whisk together. Continue to boil 1-2 additional minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to thicken as it sits.
Place the browned chicken in a large mixing bowl and pour ¾ of the sauce over the top. Use tongs or a large spoon to gently toss and coat all chicken in sauce.
Serve immediately over rice and garnish with green onions. Use extra sauce to pour over rice when serving.
Notes
Tips:
This recipe is very “spicy” if the optional red pepper flakes are added. I suggest tasting the sauce before you add in the optional red pepper flakes.
You can usually find sesame oil in two places at the grocery store. It can be found in the baking aisle, in the oil section. You can also find it with the Asian foods as well. It is usually cheaper if you pick the oil that is in with the Asian foods. For some reason they charge twice as much for the sesame oils that are in the baking aisle.
This recipe makes a little bit of extra sauce that can be used to pour over the rice when you’re serving it up!