Orange Chicken

Name: Orange Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch pieces); 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 egg (beaten); ¾ cup cornstarch; 4 cups neutral oil (for frying); ¾ cup fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges); 1 tbsp orange zest; 3 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tsp fresh ginger (minced); 1 tbsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tbsp cold water); 2 scallions (sliced, optional)

By The Chowmi Test KitchenUpdated June 6, 2026↓ Jump to Recipe

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Quick answer

Orange chicken is an American-Chinese favorite — made famous by Panda Express — of crispy battered chicken tossed in a bright, sweet-tangy orange sauce. The sauce is built on real orange juice and zest, balanced with sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce, plus garlic and ginger, so it tastes of actual citrus rather than just orange-colored syrup. Made at home it's crispier, fresher and far less sweet than the food-court version. The keys are the same as the other crispy-chicken takeout dishes: a light cornstarch coating, a double fry (once to cook, once to crisp), and tossing the chicken in the sauce at the last moment. Use fresh orange juice and a good amount of zest for brightness, and balance the sugar with the vinegar so the sauce is tangy and glossy, not cloying. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, ready in about 35 minutes.

Orange chicken — crispy chicken pieces in a glossy bright orange sauce with orange zest over rice

Why you'll love this orange chicken

Crispy chicken in a bright, fresh-orange sauce — better and less sweet than the Panda Express version.
Made with real orange juice and zest, so it actually tastes of citrus.
The double-fry trick keeps the chicken crisp under the glossy sauce.
A reliable kid- and crowd-pleaser, ready in about 35 minutes.

Ingredients

Chicken & coating

1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup cornstarch
4 cups neutral oil, for frying

Orange sauce

¾ cup fresh orange juice, about 2 oranges
1 tbsp orange zest
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegarsubstitutes →
2 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

Finish

2 scallions, sliced, optional

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Tell us what you have and what you're making — get the best US-grocery swap, with ratios.

Equipment

Wok or deep pot for frying — Deep enough to fry the chicken in batches.(shop →)
Microplane or zester — For the orange zest, which carries most of the citrus aroma.(shop →)

Instructions

Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and beaten egg, then dredge in cornstarch until well coated. Zest and juice the oranges, and stir the sauce ingredients (except the slurry) together; mix the slurry separately.
Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until pale golden and cooked through, then remove and drain.
Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken a second time for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
💡 The double fry gives orange chicken its lasting crunch — the hotter second fry sets a crust that won't go soggy.
Pour off all but 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 20 seconds, then pour in the orange sauce and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon, about a minute. Taste and balance with a little more vinegar (for tang) or sugar (for sweet).
Add the crispy chicken, toss quickly to coat, finish with scallions, and serve right away over rice.
💡 Toss and serve immediately so the chicken stays crisp.

Tips & notes

Use fresh orange juice and plenty of zest — the zest holds the orange oils that give the sauce its real citrus aroma. Bottled juice tastes flat by comparison.
Double-fry for crunch (350°F then 375°F), and sauce the chicken at the last second.
Balance the sauce with the rice vinegar so it's bright and tangy rather than just sweet — homemade should be less sugary than the food-court version.
Chicken thighs stay juicy; cut into even pieces for uniform frying. Breast works but watch it doesn't dry out.
Air-fry or shallow-fry the coated chicken for a lighter version, then toss with the sauce.

Recipe wording too vague?

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Recipe

Orange Chicken

New recipe

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 35 min
Serves: 4
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

Chicken & coating

1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup cornstarch
4 cups neutral oil, for frying

Orange sauce

¾ cup fresh orange juice, about 2 oranges
1 tbsp orange zest
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

Finish

2 scallions, sliced, optional

Instructions

Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and beaten egg, then dredge in cornstarch until well coated. Zest and juice the oranges, and stir the sauce ingredients (except the slurry) together; mix the slurry separately.
Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until pale golden and cooked through, then remove and drain.
Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken a second time for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
Pour off all but 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 20 seconds, then pour in the orange sauce and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon, about a minute. Taste and balance with a little more vinegar (for tang) or sugar (for sweet).
Add the crispy chicken, toss quickly to coat, finish with scallions, and serve right away over rice.

Nutrition (est., per serving): 460 cal · 31 g protein · 36 g carbs · 21 g fat

Orange Chicken FAQ

How do you make orange chicken taste like real orange?

Use fresh orange juice and, crucially, orange zest. The zest contains the fragrant orange oils that give the sauce its bright citrus aroma, while the juice provides tang and sweetness. Balancing the sugar with rice vinegar keeps it tasting fresh and fruity rather than like sweet orange syrup.

Is this orange chicken like Panda Express?

It's a homemade copycat in the same spirit — crispy chicken in a sweet-tangy orange sauce — but fresher, crispier and less sweet, because you use real orange juice and zest and can dial back the sugar. Many people prefer the homemade version once they try it.

How do you keep orange chicken crispy?

Coat the chicken in cornstarch, fry it twice (once at 350°F to cook through, once at 375°F to crisp), and toss it in the sauce only right before serving. The double fry creates a sturdy crust, and serving immediately keeps it from softening in the sauce.

What's the difference between orange chicken and General Tso's chicken?

Both are crispy fried chicken in a glossy sauce, but orange chicken's sauce is bright, sweet and tangy from fresh orange, with no heat, while General Tso's is sweet-savory and spicy with dried chilies. Sesame chicken is a third cousin — sweeter and nutty with toasted sesame. Choose by whether you want citrusy, spicy or sesame.

Can I make orange chicken without deep-frying?

Yes. Air-fry the coated chicken at around 400°F until crisp, or shallow-fry it in about an inch of oil, then toss with the sauce. The texture is slightly less even than deep-fried but still crisp and delicious, and it's a bit lighter.