The most perfect better-than-takeout Orange Chicken is coming your way!! You'll never be more than 15 minutes away from the perf meal!
I think we can all agree that the holidays are looking a little different this year!! But that doesn’t mean that this year can’t be special. Maybe we aren’t having a big festive dinner party later this month, and cookie exchanges are obvi not in the cards… but I’m still determined to make things special for my little family!! And also - I’M HUNGRY!! So bring on the food!
I don’t know about you guys - but we did a LOT of takeout in November. Mostly because we didn’t have a home and were hotel living thanks to the house renovation!! And I overdid it on the ordering. I’m THRILLED to be back in the kitchen and having full control over what goes into my food // yes I am a control freak. So… that brings me to this very important Homemade Orange Chicken recipe that should be added to your weekly line up asap! It’s def not the most traditional holiday recipe -- but hello it’s homemade orange chicken and everyone is going to think you’re a rock star!!
Let’s talk about a few quick tips for the orange chicken.
1: the chicken is easy to prep and no you cannot skip the cornstarch. It’s a vital element in making it crispy!! Also you need to make sure the chicken is blotted TOTALLY dry before adding into the cornstarch egg white mixture otherwise the coating wont stick. This is crucial, especially if the chicken was previously frozen and defrosted.
2: you need a LARGE pot for frying and it's best to fry this in small batches. If you overcrowd the pan and fry too many pieces of chicken at once, the coating will come off. Don't be afraid to cook the chicken in batches for optimum results.
3: the orange juice is the perfect way to make that deliciously savory orange sauce that goes on top. It also gets a little zip from some soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. If you’re anything like me, it might be worth it to double the sauce portion of the recipe so you can drizzle it on your veggies too!
Okay!! Have at it!! Make this when you need a break from your usual holiday cooking and baking and could use something delicious and quick. I recommend whipping this up for a little family game night! Then watch your family members freak out in front of your eyes!!!
Homemade Orange Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 egg whites
- 2 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces and patted totally dry
For the Sauce
- ½ cup Orange Juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- Kosher salt and crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- vegetable oil for frying
- green onion for garnish (or chives!)
Instructions
For the Chicken
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and egg whites with a fork until almost frothy, about 1 minute. Add the patted dry chicken to the mixture and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
For the Sauce
- Meanwhile, put the Orange Juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, crushed red pepper and garlic in a small nonstick skillet and whisk. Heat until bubbling and starting to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and ¼ cup water in a small bowl and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch slurry to the sauce. Mix in and thicken for 1 minute.
- Heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. In batches, carefully drop the chicken into the oil (I drop 1-2 pieces in at a time and move it around for a second before adding more pieces), flipping gently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Be very careful not to overcrowd the pan. Let the pieces drain on a plate lined with paper towels for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Repeat the process with the remaining batches. Once all the batches have their initial fry, drop them back into the oil for 1 minute to really solidify the coating. Toss the chicken in the sauce and serve with the green onion garnish
Amazing as always! We doubled the sauce to have extra to pour over the rice. Definitely recommend!
Hey! The recipe says mix cornstarch and egg whites and then in step 3 mentions mixing more cornstarch with water. Do you know the measurements of the cornstarch in each spot? Or what did you do that turned out well?! Thank you!!!
the cornstarch is broken out in each recipe ingredient section - one for the chicken and one for the sauce
Um YUM!!! This orange chicken is better than take out!! Took me longer to make then suggested time because of the small batch frying but was totally worth the extra time! I doubled the sauce and may make even more mext time....but minor adjustment to an already delicious dish! Thanks Gsby!
Made this for dinner tonight, and it is absolutely better than takeout! Yummm!!!
I've made this receipt multiple times and it's always delicious. I double the recipe for the sauce and also add a bit more soy sauce to taste. I'm a fairly efficient cook but even with buying pre-cut chicken and having all the ingredients out ready to go, the fastest I've made this start to finish is 50 minutes. Frying the chicken alone for one batch is 10 minutes for me. Either way, it's VERY delicious and recommend!
Love the recipe but how do I stop the oil from boiling over after multiple batches? I think it’s the coating that does it but I don’t know how to prevent it. Any help would be appreciated!
Gaby- i don't have a deep fry thermometer (or a candy one either). Is there a way to eyeball?
once it shimmers, it's probably warm enough
Could you make this in the air fryer if so would there be any changes to the recipe?
I haven't tested it but I'm sure you could
Gaby, have you used an air fryer? Do you think these would work in the air fryer?
I havent tested them in an air fryer but I would guess they would work!
15 minutes seems a bit of a stretch 😉 I won't tell you how long it took me to make this meal haha
Can you season the chicken before putting in the cornstarch mixture? If so what would you recommend?