Quick and Easy Orange Chicken
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This Asian-inspired orange chicken recipe will have you serving dreamy bites of chicken that are tender inside, crisp on the edges, and coated in a bright homemade soy-citrus sauce. As a bonus, it’s quicker to make—about 25 minutes—and has less added sugar than many similar recipes, so you can count on it for a family-friendly weeknight winner.
Real talk: my kids can be skeptical of Asian-inspired dishes, but experience has shown that saying dinner includes “orange sauce” can overcome many objections. The sauce really is a star here. It walks two fine lines: it’s a little sticky yet silky enough to smoothly coat the chicken, and the taste is naturally sweet yet not cloying or packed with added sugar.
Unlike my offspring, I always love a good takeout copycat, and once you lock in the technique for making bites of chicken that are perfectly tender inside yet still have crisp edges and perfectly cling to sauces, you will too. This method underpins my sweet and saucy pineapple chicken and chicken pepper stir fry recipes; it’s equally fundamental here.
Why You’ll Love This Orange Chicken
- Simple, everyday ingredients—soy, ginger, citrus—add up to irresistible flavor
- About 25 minutes start to finish
- Much tastier and healthier than actual takeout
- Pair with easy-to-steam veggies like broccoli or snow peas for a complete meal
- Great intro to Asian-inspired dinners for choosy kids—pair with actual orange wedges and emphasize that real juice is the sauce’s main ingredient
This recipe is a pretty good imitation of Chinese-takeout orange chicken and the popular Trader Joe’s frozen mandarin chicken, if you are hoping to recreate either of those at home!
Ingredient Notes
Quality orange juice has plenty of natural sweetness; you really don’t need much extra sugar to make the sauce shine. A little does help to balance and thicken the sauce, but too much just weighs it down.
How To Make a Not-Too-Sweet Orange Chicken
Simple steps add up to greatness here, and you won’t need a bunch of different pans to make it happen, either.
Pro Tip
When making many recipes like this, it’s a good idea to at least start prepping all the ingredients before you start cooking—a traditional mise en place. At a minimum, remove all ingredients from the fridge so you’re not hunting. I do find this recipe allows enough time while the chicken cooks to whisk together the sauce, but after many years of cooking, I move fast!
Begin by tossing the chicken in cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Pan-fry the pieces until golden and crisp. Remove to a clean plate and set aside.
Before or while the chicken browns, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a large liquid measuring cup or prep bowl.
Pour the sauce directly into the now-empty skillet and let it bubble for a few minutes to thicken up as much as you like. While it simmers, scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits and incorporate that chicken flavor directly into the sauce.
Once the sauce is as thick as you like, stir the chicken pieces back in. Reduce the heat to its very lowest setting until ready to serve, so that the sauce doesn’t get too sticky.
What To Serve With Orange Chicken
This is delicious over steamed rice—I recommend Jasmine or brown rice as the best pairing—or noodles. It also works well with a generous base or side of steamed broccoli, broccolini, snow peas, garlic green beans, or a pre-packaged stir fry vegetable mix.
If you have a few extra minutes and are craving a light, fresh, intentional side, an Asian cucumber salad fits perfectly.
More Easy Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Quick Bourbon Chicken
- Sweet Chili Lime Salmon
- Korean Beef Bowls (or Lettuce Wraps)
- Sweet and Sticky Asian Meatballs
Quick and Easy Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch divided
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon canola or other cooking oil
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated, or a frozen cube
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- rice, sliced green onions, sesame seeds optional for serving
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons of the cornstarch, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated.2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, kosher salt and black pepper
- Set a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add a generous drizzle of oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning once or twice, until it's golden and crisp on the outside and just cooked through in the middle. Remove chicken pieces to a plate and set aside. (Do this in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan.)1 Tablespoon canola or other cooking oil
- While the chicken cooks, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch and whisk well to combine. Set aside.3/4 cup orange juice, 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 2-3 teaspoons orange zest, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- After removing the chicken, reduce heat to medium and pour the sauce into the skillet. As it bubbles and thickens slightly, scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
- Once the sauce is as thick as you like, return the chicken and stir to coat with the sauce. Try to serve right away, but if you need to leave it for a few minutes, reduce the heat to its lowest setting so the sauce doesn’t get too sticky.
- Serve over rice or noodles and with sprinkles of green onions, sesame seeds, and more veggies on the side.rice, sliced green onions, sesame seeds
Notes
- Chicken: You want the chicken cut into pieces that are fairly close the same size. Chicken thighs are a good substitute; they should still be boneless, skinless, and cut into pieces.
- Orange Juice: The more fresh and natural the juice, the better your sauce will be. I typically use pulp-free or low-pulp varieties but suspect it wouldn’t make a big difference simmered into this sauce.
- Storage & Reheating: Leftovers keep well tightly-covered in the fridge for 3-4 days; reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat and enjoy.
