Orange Chicken
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This Chinese Orange Chicken is made with crispy fried chicken coated in a sticky orange chicken sauce. Just like Panda Express but even better!
Orange chicken is one of the most popular Chinese dishes, and for good reason! Panda Express made this dish famous, and it’s on most takeout menus alongside dishes like General Tso’s Chicken.
Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to make homemade orange chicken without the restaurant price tag, plus there are fewer calories than the Panda Express version. We’re simply battering cubed chicken thighs and frying until crispy before coating in a sticky homemade sauce with tangy citrus flavors!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Chicken: I recommend boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe as they’re moister and more flavorful. Chicken breasts also work but require extra care to avoid overcooking.
- Batter/marinade for the chicken:
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
- Egg
- Vegetable oil such as canola, sunflower or peanut oil
- Orange chicken sauce:
- Orange: You’ll be juicing and zesting a large orange for this recipe
- Soy sauce: low-sodium recommended
- Vinegar: rice vinegar is best or white vinegar
- Brown sugar
- Garlic: freshly minced is best but garlic powder as a substitute
- Cornstarch
- Red pepper flakes: optional if you want some heat
How to Make Orange Chicken
Marinate the chicken: Start by cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces, or 1-inch cubes. Then make the batter. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a bowl. Then whisk in the egg, oil and water until smooth (the consistency should resemble thin pancake batter). Add the chicken pieces to the batter until nicely coated. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to marinate (or just 10 minutes if you’re in a rush).
Fry the chicken: Using a medium saucepan or deep fryer, heat the oil to 350°F (177°C). While you’re waiting, line a plate with paper towels and set aside a slotted spoon or mesh strainer. Deep fry the chicken pieces in batches of 8-10 pieces at a time until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Then remove to the plate, covering with foil to keep warm.
Make the orange chicken sauce: Add the orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic to a small saucepan. Raise the heat to medium and cook until it reaches a low boil. Whisk the cornstarch and water into a slurry and into the saucepan. Stir until it starts thickening and turning glossy, anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes.
Toss with the sauce: Toss the fried chicken in the sauce to coat, and a nice glaze will form. Garnish with optional sesame seeds, green onions and red pepper flakes (for a kick).
Tips for Making Orange Chicken
- To get crispy chicken, the oil should be 350˚F (177˚C) before frying and remain above 300˚F (149˚C) at all times. Use a thermometer to monitor, as the temperature will usually drop after you add the chicken.
- Fry the chicken in batches to avoid crowding the pot or deep fryer and get even cooking. Cover the fried chicken with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- When thickening the sauce, make a cornstarch-water slurry so it dissolves easily. If the sauce seems too thick, you can whisk in a tablespoon or two of water. If it’s too thin, let it bubble for an extra minute or two to thicken further.
- Orange chicken is great to make ahead of time including for meal prep.
Healthier Variations
Baked Orange Chicken: Instead of deep-frying the chicken, you can bake it in the oven for fewer calories. Place the battered chicken pieces on a baking sheet and bake at 400˚F (204˚C) for 20-25 minutes until golden (slightly less if using chicken breast meat).
Stir-fried Orange Chicken: Skip the battering and frying steps altogether. Pat dry the cubed chicken with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season with salt and pepper. Then stir fry with 1 tablespoon of oil in a hot skillet until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.
What to Serve with Orange Chicken
More Chinese dishes:
More Chinese recipes
Chinese Orange Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 6 thighs, or 3 chicken breasts*
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, canola, sunflower etc.
- vegetable oil , for frying depending on the size of your pan
Sauce
- 1 large orange, you'll need the juice and zest
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar, or white vinegar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced, or 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp water
Garnishes (optional)
- sesame seeds
- green onions, chopped
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
Chicken
- Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add the egg, oil and water, whisking until smooth.
- Add the chicken cubes to the mixture, making sure the chicken gets thoroughly coated. Cover and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. (If you're in a hurry, 10 minutes will do.)
- In a medium saucepan or deep fryer, add 2 inches of oil and heat to 350˚F (177˚C). Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.
- Add the marinated chicken cubes in batches of about 10-15 pieces, shaking off excess batter if needed. Deep fry for 2-3 minutes until golden, turning halfway through with a slotted spoon for even browning.**
- Remove to the plate and cover with foil to keep warm while you make the sauce.
Orange Chicken Sauce
- To a medium saucepan, add orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Carefully taste a few drops and adjust sugar, soy sauce and vinegar to suit your preference.
- Mix the cornstarch and water in a cup to make a slurry and pour into the sauce. Stir constantly until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. (This can take as little as 30 seconds or as long as several minutes.)
- Add the fried chicken and toss until the sauce coats it thoroughly.
- Garnish with optional sesame seeds, green onions and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- * Chicken thighs are juicier and more flavorful. Chicken breasts will also work, but dry out more easily so watch carefully.
- ** To get crispy chicken, maintain the oil temperature as close as possible to 350°F. Any lower and the chicken will be greasy. Any higher and the outside will crispen too quickly before the inside is done. Also avoid crowding the pot/deep fryer.
- Make Ahead: You can make this dish one day ahead of time and reheat in the microwave. It's also well-suited to meal prep.
- Make it gluten-free: Substitute gluten-free flour and gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos.
Please read our nutrition disclaimer.
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Good recipe but double the sauce. Messy but worth it. I fried my chicken in coconut oil and it was a good choice
Hi Danele, Thanks for your feedback and glad you liked it!
Tried this for the first time today…. It won’t be the last. It is easy to make and DELICIOUS!!! The whole family loved it!!
Hi Cyndi, Amazing to hear that and many thanks for your comment!
I leave few reviews, but this recipe was so good I had to complement the creator. The whole family enjoyed the orange chicken and it will definitely be used again. I also liked the availability of all the ingredients. Thanks for your time and effort!
Hi Mike, Thanks so much for your feedback – it means a lot and Happy New Year!
I followed direction exactly but the batter is too sticky and sticks to hands/spoon/ect more than the actual chicken… so I put flour on my hands and the picked up pieces tried to stick the batter to it and rolled in more flour. There was also NOT nearly enough sauce. Next time, we’d make three times the amount.
I’ve made this recipe many times, it’s really good!
I made a healthy take on this chicken to serve with ginger-orange fried rice. The sauce is acting as a marinade that I baked with the chicken thighs in the oven at 350.
Just made the sauce and added it to the Costco chicken nuggets! So good! My toddlers loved it too! Thank you for such a yummy dinner idea!
I’m really confused on why some are saying it’s too much prep work. If you cook on a regular and you don’t use boxed foods and make everything up fresh doing the work yourself you’ll it’s really not a lot of prep work it’s a simple quick recipe that’s delicious. Oh and trying to bake the meat will not work for this recipe it tastes more authentic frying the meat! Btw I loved the recipe came out great!
Hi Net, Wow, thanks for the great review and glad you enjoyed!
This was okay for what it is but it’s actually nothing like Panda Express orange chicken lol. I don’t mean that meanly just that it tastes like someone whose never had it. It wasn’t terrible tasting but the sugar was too strong, not enough actual heat in the recipe and the chicken is actually like chicken fingers from a Chinese restaurant which made my spouse very happy.
I was curious how a cornstarch batter would be and I should have guessed. If you like general tso or orange chicken this isn’t going to be familiar to you.
Hi Pam, Thanks for your feedback and sorry you didn’t enjoy.
Can you please post the air fryer recipe? I haven’t seen it yet. Thank you
YES! I’d love to have the air fryer recipe as well!
This orange chicken is absolutely delicious. It’s an easy recipe and full of flavor. I added the pepper flakes because we like the heat. My whole family loved it, I’ll be making it again. Thanks for sharing the recipe. God bless
I followed this recope pretty close – adding some finely diced jalapeno to the sauce to give it a little kick and got what i was looking for! I served it with rice and some stirfried cabbáge, broccoli and peppers – what i had on hand.- and the meal was complete! This one is a keeper!
Ugh, 1 orange didn’t seem like enough
I made this recipe tonight for dinner snd my family couldn’t stop eating. Everybody went for seconds. Really good recipe thank you!!!
Absolutely amazing recipe! All I did was add some sriracha sauce and a little cayenne pepper to add a bit of spice 🌶. I’ve added this recipe to my favorites. Thank you so much for this tasty recipe!
Hi Lexy Mae, Thank you so much for your feedback and I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This dish looked so good. After deep frying the chicken, it was crispy. When I put the sauce on it, the chicken went totally soft. Very disappointed.
This Orange Chicken recipe is so delicious It’s sweet and very flavorful! I added Kikkoman Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Dressing & Sauce that I bought from Karman Foods for an added twist of flavor. It’s perfect! Best paired with Cold Barley Tea.
Aka best Orange chicken and rice ever
I made this orange chicken tonight for dinner. It’s delicious. Just too much prep work. However, I’ll make it again.
Delicious but not sure it’s worth all the effort. Probably won’t make again bc of that.
I made this recipe but decided to cook the chicken in the oven to cut preparation time but I don’t suggest it. Take time a fry your breaded chicken it will be worth the time spent
I don’t even like orange chicken but I’m a fan now. This was delicious! Can the sauce be frozen?
Hi Paula, So happy to hear that and thanks for your feedback!
A tip for easy juicing. Heat up the orange before juicing. One minute in microwave should do it. Press on it and roll it before cutting. Zest the peel and add to sauce for increased flavour.
Don’t bake! The batter is too thick so you end up with goopy chicken. I ended up pan frying them after the baking wasn’t working. Really good, just will fry the next time.
This recipe is delicious!!!
I made this recipe today, and it came out great. The only change I made was not voluntary. The chicken I thought was in the fridge wasn’t there when I went to make this LOL but there was a big head of cauliflower, so I cut it up and battered it and fried it following this recipe and it was amazing! I think the best part Is that everything in the sauce and the batter are usually have in my pantry and refrigerator. So I will be able to make this on the fly Dash and maybe next time I’ll even find some chicken LOL
Very good! I added a little bit of ginger paste to my sauce. Will definitely make again!!
It turned out great!
It’s delicious!! My whole family love it. It crunchy not soggy at all. I did not make the sauce I used store bought panda orange chicken sauce. But the chicken was perfect.
Hi Yesenia, Awesome and congrats! Thanks for your feedback.
I’ve made this quite a few times and it is absolutely amazing!! I got an air fryer for Christmas and i’m wondering if anyone tried to air fry the chicken and did it come out similar to frying it on the stove
Hi Camille, Thanks for your comment. I’ve actually been thinking about doing an air fryer version, so stay tuned!
This was great! My granddaughter is a Panda Express fan and she loved it! My husband enjoyed it too!
Absolutely amazing! I want to try air frying it to use less oil, do you have any tips on how to go about that?
Hi Jake, Thanks for your comment! Working on the air fryer version as we speak so stay tuned.
Better than Panda Express! My husband and I both agree
Hi Jessica, Wow what a compliment – great to hear that and so glad you enjoyed!
Will it work even if I only have flour available?
This is the best recipe. So flavorful and my family loved it! I didn’t have any brown sugar so I used white sugar. I also use orange juice. It was SO GOOD!
Hi Annette, So great to hear and thanks for your feebdack! Good point that white sugar will work too.
This came out amazing!!. Husband loved it. Only thing I did different was to use bottled orange juice instead of a fresh orange because I had all the other ingredients and didn’t want to run to the store just for an orange. I already have it printed out and in the recipe box because I will definitely be making this again. I served it over a wild rice medley instead of white rice and it was actually pretty good. Thank you.
Hi Lin, Thanks so much for your comment and interesting to hear how it went. I love the wild rice medley idea! Happy holidays.
This came out so delicious! Very happy with the results. My grandchildren loved 🥰 it !
Thanks Doreen and so glad to hear that. Happy holidays!
We LOVED it. I didn’t have gluten free flour so I used Krusteaz gf pancake mix. Soooo good. Yummmmm.
Hi Tammy, Thanks for your comment and so glad to hear that! Will have to try out that pancake mix too
All I can say is “A taste of Heaven”!
I had some left over chicken fried chicken. I cut several of the large patties into 1″ pieces. Next I made up the orange sauce and put all the pc’s in the sauce until it was completely coated. I put the coated chicken pcs on parchment paper on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees until the chicken was hot, sprinkled the top with sesame seeds, chopped green onions and the orange zest. It was awesome! I served it with rice, pot stickers and spring rolls. A fast meal and fit for a king!
I made this and put it on California rice oh my goodness it was so delicious
I don’t ever EVER review recipes but this was so freaking good! A little labor intensive to dry the chicken but so worth it! The sauce was perfect sticky tangy orang-y sauce LOL next time I’ll make more sauce to put on my rice
Fry not dry LOL
Hi Heather, Thanks for your comment and glad you liked it so much!!
I made this tonight for tea, it was absolutely amazing. I will definitely be making it again
Very good recipe and easy to follow. My husband loved it!
Thanks Mary – so glad to hear that!
Thanks for the great recipe. The fried chicken was so crispy, I will use the batter for other recipes as well. I have question though, the soy sauce darkened the sauce that my sauce didn’t have that orange color like yours. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Hi Novi, Thanks for your comment! Try using “light soy sauce” of light tamari. Dark sauce will create that color…
This was awesome as far as taste, but for my family, frying all those small pieces took too long and too much of a mess.
Honestly amazing! I doubled the sauce and I wish I had more! I’d lick the pan for how delicious it is 🤤🤤
Family loved it.i needed more sauce though.
This was very good. I chose to fry the chicken in a light batter. Nice dinner with a little jasmine rice. Thanks!
I tried the healthier version baking the chicken in the oven. The batter never browned after 20min. so I put it under the broiler for a few min. The batter was still like a raw pie crust but the chicken was done(I used thighs). I actually picked a lot of it off and then covered with the sauce. The sauce is excellent. I added 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha sauce for a little spice. My husband loved it.
Loved the taste of the sauce but it more like a gravy than a glaze I even added more cornstarch, what did I do wrong
So…. this is definitely NOT what I would call orange chicken. Or maybe the measurements are off. I would compare this more to a chicken coated in an orange jolly rancher. It wasn’t terrible, but nor was it good. The chicken without the sauce was fine, but there was definitely too much orange in this sauce. Something was missing from it. I don’t believe a ‘large’ orange should be used as it brings far too much orange flavor. Add in the sugar and you have literally just candy coated chicken. Any orange chicken I have eaten in the past has had a savory element with a slight spice to it, this has no savory at all and no spice. Literally just dessert chicken. If that’s your thing, this is for you.. if not….. Would not recommend. I will never recommend this nor ever eat it again. So disappointed in this recipe. Gross.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was AMAZING. Boyfriend wacked an enormous plate and kept saying how much better it was than panda, and how good the fresh orange flavor was. Thanks for sharing ❤
Hi Kani, Awesome, so glad to hear and thanks for your comment! Hope you’ll try more recipes…
Made this last night for supper….This recipe is absolutely delicious! The batter is great…Thank You!
Hi Esmeralda, Thanks for your review and great to hear. You made my day!
The batter really makes this recipe. I’ve tried 3 different battering techniques and this is the best
Amazing! My kids ask for it way too much but it is sooo good! I make a little extra sauce and it’s perfect!
Hi Amanda, So awesome to hear that and thanks for your review! Hope you’ll try other recipes too.
Great recipe with really good directions! Went together easily and tasted delicious. Will definitely make it again. I doubled the sauce recipe because we like more sauce on our rice.
Hi Brenda, Thanks and glad to hear!!
Excellent!!!!! I will definitely be making this again, thank you for the recipe!
This was FANTASTIC! Didn’t have any oranges, so I used a can of mandarin oranges and mashed up the oranges. Really great!
Hi Casie, That’s great to hear and glad it turned out! Thanks for your comment.
If someone botched this recipe, then they need to practice their kitchen skills. This recipe was super easy to follow and crazy delicious. I had orange juice so that’s what I used. The family said this recipe needs to go into the regular rotation! This was the bomb!!! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Brandi, Wow thanks for your review and great to hear you enjoyed it!!
Looks yummy!!! Planning to make it tonight. Question. Did you use the whole orange for the zest? Thanks so much
Hi Angel, Thanks and yes the whole orange (medium size). Hope that helps and enjoy!
I cook this orange chicken recipe it was fabulous, even though I left the egg. It taste better than Panda Express.
Hi Carolyn, Great to hear and thanks for letting me know!
How much orange juice and zest?
I was wondering how using breasts vs thighs would change the flavor of the recipe? I am a bit concerned it will make it less flavorful.
Hi Cassidy, Thanks for your question and yes, using breasts will be slightly less tender and they’re easier to overcook. That being said, it’s a healthier option too. Enjoy!
I made this last night! the longest part of the whole dish is absolutely frying the chicken! I followed the recipe and added broccoli and chopped green peppers to the sauce before folding in the chicken.. so delicious.
my fiancé and I loved it.
I didn’t have a large orange, so I peeled and juiced a bunch of tangerines hahah it worked great!
thanks so much for your recipe! added this to my recipe book and will 100% be back for more from you!
Hi Jeralee, Thanks for your feedback and good to know about the tangerines! Glad you enjoyed and hope you’ll try some other recipes too.
Does this work in an air fryer? Any tips with that??
Hi Kristina, Thanks for your question. Unfortunately I haven’t made this recipe in an air fryer, so can’t comment.
Can the chicken sit in the batter in the fridge overnight?
Hi Kat, Yes absolutely! Thanks for your question.
I made the sauce for wings and it’s awesome! I plan to make it again for Chinese food night. This is the only homemade orange chicken sauce that I’ve made that actually tastes really good
Hi Tara, Thanks for your feedback – we should do a post just on orange sauce!
Thus is really good Will make this again.
Oh my! Made this during this pandemic, and it was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have an orange, but I had OJ, and that worked just fine! I served with yum yum sauce!
Hi Robin, Wow – sounds amazing! So glad it worked out and thanks for your comment too.
Hi, how much oj did you use?
This was excellent
Can I put some in my freezer once cooked ??
Hi Tracey, Thanks for your comment! Yes it freezes well although won’t be as crispy upon reheating. Hope that helps!
I made this recipe and it tasted AMAZING but I used almond flour instead and they didn’t come out very crispy it was almost just chicken idk if it was the flour or something else (I doubled the recipe as well) my family and I loved it btw I’m the child of the family I decided to cook this for dinner
Hiya Brayden, That’s awesome to hear – thanks for your feedback. Almond flour is a great idea, will have to test that out!
Sauce was sooo good! I only add a little more soy and reduced it down. And I even double the amount of chicken I used and it was still enough sauce!
The batter however just wasn’t working I couldn’t get it to cook through so it was soggy/undercooked on the inside I even tried putting it in the oven, helped a little but ultimately wasn’t me preferred texture. Meybe the directions could be more clear should the coating be very light I shook off the extra by still left it a little thick over the chicken.
Hi Natasha, Thanks for your comment. It’s possible the oil was not hot enough, as that will make it soggy. Sorry to hear!
Was very good. Little too much vinegar in the sauce for my taste. Reduced the sauce some and added sugar. Came out great
Hi Connie, Thanks and appreciate your feedback re the vinegar. Glad you enjoyed!
I just made this recipe, and am no boob in the kitchen. Sorry to say this was not good. Definitely not Panda Express. The batter/ merinade was super this more of a biscuit dough then batter. I made the mistake of using chicken thighs. I followed the recipe to the letter. The whole thing had a weird texture. The glaze was ok. I won’t be making it again.
Hi Vicky, Thanks for your comment and sorry it didn’t meet expectations.
Ive made this before and it turned out absolutely AMAZING! I lost it (it being the recipe) for a while though and I’m glad I found it again especially with valentines day coming up. And I know I shouldn’t say it but ANYONE that says this recipe doesn’t work… is just incompetent in the kitchen. Whoops I guess I did say it.
(Side Note…. to add a little extra flare Add a very small amount of ginger to the sauce!)
Hi Sarah, Awesome to hear and thanks for your review! It’s great for Valentine’s – please sign up for notifications and mailing list to make sure you don’t lose it again lol
You have a winner with this one! We did the unbreaded version and it was so delicious!!! A new family favorite!!! Was so quick and easy, a perfect dinner to prepare after a long day at work. Love, love, love!!!
Hi Miranda, Thank you so much, you really made my day and so glad you loved it!
When I prepare a new recipe I follow it to a “T”. This turned out to be a goopy mess. The “marinade” was more like glue. I baked it instead of frying as the recipe also suggested for healthier version. The marinade just spilled over and was like a pancake around the chicken. It didn’t crisp up at all. We actually had to cut the “pancake” from sides of the chicken before putting it into the sauce. I sure won’t make this again.
Hi Angie, So sorry it didn’t work out. We added a note to shake off excess batter to avoid the pancake so the pieces brown properly. Thanks for your feedback to improve the recipe.
This happened to me too. But shaking off the extra batter wasn’t an option, since the batter just would not stick to the chicken at all. What could I have done wrong?
I had a very similar experience. I used thighs and followed the recipe but after 20min in the oven it was a pale cardboard mess. I stuck it under the broiler for a few min. but still ended up cutting off the almost pancake-like batter. Sauce is excellent and I would make that again.
Looks good!
Hi Saraha, Thanks for your review and enjoy!
The recipe for the xhicken was wonderful! Qill make this again!
Hi Cindy, Happy to hear that and thanks for your review. Hope you get to try more recipes! 🙂
Hiii did you use light brown sugar or regular brown sugar?
Hi Stephanie, Light brown sugar is best. Thanks for your question and enjoy!
Amazing recipe!! So good. No leftovers and the picky 5 year old wanted seconds!!!
Hi Jesi, So happy to hear and a 5-year old is the real judge, right? Thanks for your review!
Hi, is there anything i could substitute the egg with, my daughter has a egg intolerance the answer would answer many chinese recipe questions, woild soda water do?
Hi Scott, Thanks for your question – I’d suggest an egg replacer like Bob’s Red Mill although I haven’t tried it on this particular recipe. Let me know how it goes if you do. Hope that helps!
Hello! This looks so yummy I can’t wait to try. I wanted to know if I were to use chicken breast instead, how much would I need for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Z, Thanks for your question. 3 medium chicken breasts or 1 pound is enough. We added a note to the recipe to reflect. Hope that helps!
Can I use regular orange juice or do i need to squeeze urban fresh?
It fresh**
Hi Morgan, Either is fine but fresh tastes a bit better. Up to you! 🙂
This Chicken recipe was fabulous! I didn’t have any Soy Sauce or Rice Rinegar, so skipped the Soy Sauce and used Apple Cider Vinegar instead. Cut the Salt in half and added Chunk Pineapple at the last step when the Orange Sauce and Chicken were added. Served it over Brown Rice, and enjoyed a Spinach Salad with a few raw Veggies and a Raspberry Walnut dressing. We are a Low Sodium diet and know we stayed within our daily Salt perameters.
Thank you so much for sharing. Most delicious Orange Chicken I have eaten!
Hi Sharon, Great to hear and thanks for all your feedback! Sounds like a delicious meal 🙂
I tripled the recipe because I fee two teens who are never full and I never get complimented on dinner. I got a hug for this one. Thank you so much for sharing it was so good!
Hi Jessica, I know the feeling and so happy to hear that 🙂
Hi! I’m wanting to double this recipe, but not sure how many chicken breasts I should use!
I think 4 chicken breasts would be about 3.5 pounds…..would that be enough to double this recipe? Any suggestions?
Hi Scott, The recipe calls for 3 chicken breasts, so to double use 6 breasts or 2 pounds. Enjoy!
The Original Orange Chicken recipe (Video)
Step by Step cooking process
This recipe was so easy and turned out great!! Thank you for sharing….
Hi Suzie, Thanks so much for your feedback and glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Yum yum yum! I love orange chicken but don’t eat it often since my husband and son do not care for it. However that all changed when I made this recipe tonight! They loved it! The teenager had two plates🙌🏽 Thank you sooo much for the new recipe! I will be using it again.
Hi Gabrielle, Awesome to hear that and so glad everyone enjoyed it!! 🙂
I love this recipe! We are having a larger dinner party in a few weeks and I’m trying to figure out how I can simplify the cooking to serve 8 people. Have you ever tried frying the chicken in advance, cooking, then freezing without sauce? Then reheating on a baking sheet?
Hi there, So glad to hear you love the recipe. It’s a bit tricky to reheat if you’re entertaining. Use the baking sheet at about 325 deg F and add the sauce before serving. Let me know how it goes 🙂
I ran a test batch this weekend with success! I fried the chicken, let cool on paper towels, then froze. I reheated from frozen on a wire rack sprayed with cooking spray over my baking sheet. I baked at a slightly higher oven temperature, 375. The chicken took about 20 mins in my oven and was still crispy! Then it was as easy as making the sauce. Thank you!
Awesome to hear that Nrock. Will add a note to the recipe for everyone else’s benefit. Have a great party! 🙂
If I want to add heat and only have cayenne and red pepper flakes which is best to use and how much please?
Hi Lisa, The red pepper flakes have better depth of flavor than cayenne powder, and a 1/4 teaspoon will do the job. Enjoy!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! My 7 year old is a VERY picky eater, but he ate it up!! Thanks for the great recipe!!
Hi Jessica, Awesome – thanks for letting me know and so glad you enjoyed! 🙂
How much red pepper flakes or cayenne should I use for a little hint of heat?
I’d start with a 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a hint of heat and see how you like it. You can always increase to 1/2 tsp or more to suit 🙂
Awesome recipe! My husband and I LOVE orange chicken & this was our first time making it at home. YUMMIER THAN ORDERING OUT!
Hi Annie, Thanks for your review! Couldn’t agree more that making your own is way better than takeout. 🙂
This has great flavor….totally love it.
Hi Debi, 🙂 Thanks so much and glad to hear!
I used chicken thighs, added teaspoon Asian chili. Double the sauce. Added stir fry veggies with sweet onions in it. Very delicious!
Hi Walter, Awesome, thanks for your review and feedback. Sounds delish! 🙂
I made this dish last night and it was so good! I added my own shrimp fried rice as a side. Fried up some wonton strips, because I like the crunch, our mouths and tummy had a party! Great recipe! Ut has been added to my stack of recipes. Fresh orange flavor bursts through. I added red chili flakes to the sauce for added kick and flavor. I let the sauce sit uncooked for about an hour to enhance its yumminess. My family, wok, and I thank you!
Hi Cheryl, That’s awesome and thank *you* for this amazing review and feedback!! The chili flakes are a great suggestion I’ll have to add to the recipe notes. Hope to see you again soon on the site 🙂
How do you suggest reheating this once it’s been refrigerated?
Hi Mercede, Thanks for your question. Microwaving on medium-high for 2-3 minutes is best. You can also try a nonstick pan on the stovetop although it still gets sticky. Good luck!
My picky two yr old and I had this multiple times and are in love!! I was considering using sesame oil next time & was wondering what you think?
Hi Alina, Thanks for your feedback. I haven’t tried sesame oil, but think it would impart the wrong flavor for this recipe. If you try it please let me know how it goes 🙂
this is the best EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love orange chicken it was a great recipe…!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love your friend grace
Hiya Grace, Awesome to hear and thank so much for letting me know! See you around soon on the site 🙂
thanks ive love this recipe!!! my friend grace loves
orange chicken !!!! you are the best cook ever!!!
this is grace marcias friend THIS IS AMAZING!!!! ILOVE ORANGE
CHICKEN YAHHHHHHHHHH. this is the best orange chinken ive EVER ATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Marcia, Wow thanks for chiming in and glad you’re sharing a culinary experience! 🙂
thanks this is the best food ive ever eaten and my
my friend grace is obsessed with orange chicken so she
is happy!!!!!!!
Hi Marcia, Thanks so much and so happy to hear you’re enjoying it!! 🙂 🙂
Hands down the best orange chicken recipe I’ve ever had the pleasure of making(and tasting!) My fiancee is gluten intolerant so I substituted the regular flour for coconut flour – Still tasted delicious! Definitely making this again soon.
Cheers from California
Hey Vincent, That’s awesome and thanks for your feedback plus the tip on coconut flour! See you around soon on the site! 🙂
This turned out really good! I deep fried in a regular pot and it still turned out great once I figure out the right technique. The sauce turned out a bit too sweet for me, I would probably have added half the brown sugar next time, but to be fair, the instructions did warn to taste the sauce as you add the sugar so it’s to taste. But even being so sweet it was phenomenal! I live in Europe now and there’s no Panda Express here, so I’ve been craving crispy orange chicken, and this delivered!
Hi Courtney, Wow – what an amazing review! Thanks so much and glad you got your Panda fix over in Europe 🙂 🙂
Could you use reagular graulated white sugar instead of brown? I dont have molasses either. How could I substitute?
Hi Breeanna, Thanks for your question and you can definitely use regular white granulated sugar instead of brown. The flavor will be slightly less intense, but still delicious!
I used a basket in my fryer and the batter stuck to it so the second batch I just dropped the chicken into the deep fryer. Much better. Very good sauce. Would make again.
Thanks Chris for your review and so happy you enjoyed it! That’s a great point about the basket and I’ll add a note to the recipe. 🙂
I added cayenne pepper, for a spicier dish. Loved it!
Thanks Noel, cayenne is a great addition for a spicier dish. Glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe was just ok. I found the batter to be a bit heavy. Also too much cornstarch in the sauce, it was too thick.
Hi Renee, Thanks for your feedback. We re-tested and made some adjustments to the amount of cornstarch now reflected in the recipe.
My marinade for the chicken is really think like a gravy. I was trying to double the recipe. Is it supposed to be extra thick for the chicken?
Hi Andrea, That sounds about right! The texture of the batter is like pancake batter so it clings to the chicken pieces. How did it turn out?
Great recipe! The family loved it. I used orange marmalade and decreased sugar and it turned out great.
Awesome Tonya, thanks so much for your feedback. 🙂
Tonya S how much orange marmalade did you use and what did you decrease the sugar to? Please let me know.
This looks amazing. My bf ALWAYS orders orange chicken. I’ve actually never tried it though because it comes on rice, and I’m more of a pasta person! I’ll have to try this at home so I can switch out the rice. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Merrideth, While orange chicken is traditionally served with rice, you can do noodles too. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
How can you make a double batch? Just double everything?
Hi Hilary, Yep, that’s all there is to it. Just allow extra time to fry the chicken in batches. Enjoy!
Amazing recipe! Very yummy! Fabulous.
Thanks for letting us know Susan! 🙂 🙂
This is so much better than take out! Great recipe!
Thanks for your review Taryn and hope you try it soon 🙂
Just need to find the sweetest oranges, otherwise it end up tasting a bit bitter i also put 1 Tsp teriyaki sauce in as well,
Hi Sarah, Thanks for your review and great point! Sweet oranges give the best flavor to this dish 🙂
I added a lil sweet orange marmalade instead of the oranges as it definitely helps with the sweetness factor!
Hi Mads, That’s a cool idea – sounds delish! 🙂
I want to put this sauce on EVERYTHING! Such an awesome recipe, thank you!
Thanks, Jenn.