This restaurant-quality homemade Chinese orange chicken recipe is so much better than takeout - combining super tender yet crispy fried chicken pieces in a sticky sweet and sour orange sauce. Perfect for those times when you're craving Chinese food!
If the chicken isn't pre-cut, cut it into bite-size pieces around ½-¾ inches big.
Make the marinade
Whisk the egg whites into a foam, add the soy sauce and cornstarch, and whisk well again.
Tip the chicken pieces into the marinade, stir, and set aside while preparing the sauce (for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight when left covered in the refrigerator).
Make the sauce
Zest, then juice the orange, making sure to only zest the orange peel and no white pith (which is bitter). Also, mince the garlic and ginger.
Combine the cornstarch and soy sauce, mixing well until it’s lump-free, before stirring in the orange juice, zest, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, and red chili flakes.
Heat a small pan with vegetable oil, stir-frying the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
Add the remaining mixed sauce ingredients (use a silicone spatula to scrape the cornstarch and sugar from the bottom of the bowl if needed) and increase the heat to bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, constantly stirring, until the sauce thickens. Then, set it aside.Add more cornstarch slurry for a thicker sauce or more water or orange juice for a thinner one.
Fry the chicken
Combine the dry coating ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt) in a large bowl/plate. Then coat the chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.
Heat at least an inch of oil in a large wok/skillet over high heat.When deep-frying, the oil should reach 375ºF/175ºC. If you don't have a thermometer, dip a wooden skewer into the oil. It should bubble immediately. If it smokes, it's too hot.
Carefully transfer the chicken to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd it (cook in batches if necessary). Cook for about 4 minutes, until it's entirely cooked through, golden brown, and crispy on the outside.
Transfer the chicken from the oil to layers of paper towel to drain any excess oil.
Toss the Chicken in the Sauce and Serve
Toss the fried chicken into the pan with the sauce and stir well to coat.Simmer the chicken in the sauce for a minute or two if it isn’t hot enough.
Serve the orange chicken, optionally garnished with scallions (green onions) and sesame seeds. Enjoy it with fluffy white rice, fried rice, or noodles, optionally also with cooked veggies like broccoli, bok choy, green beans, etc.
Notes
Use a thermometer: This will ensure the frying oil is heated to the correct temperature so the chicken cooks properly and without soaking up additional oil.Tweak to taste: You can adjust this sauce recipe to your liking. I.e., more or less sugar, vinegar, orange juice, red pepper flakes, etc.Make ahead: You can prepare the sauce 2-3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Also, if you prefer, you can just fry the chicken in advance and reheat it in a pan with a little oil to bring back the crispiness.To store: Once fully assembled, the chicken is crispiest when enjoyed immediately. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat the chicken in a skillet over low heat, adding water to loosen up the sauce. The chicken won’t be crispy, but it’s still delicious.