Orange Chicken. Crispy fried chicken smothered in a delicious sweet orange sauce. Satisfying for dinner, lunch or leftovers. Easy to make at home, ready in just over 30 minutes!
No deep-frying!
Unlike other recipes, mine does not require you to deep fry! I’m not a fan of deep frying because of the mess and waste. We are simply shallow frying this chicken dish. And yes, alternatively you may use an air fryer! See below recipe card Notes on how to achieve this.
No batter just cornstarch!
You’ll be thankful that there is no orange chicken batter required and yet I am still able to achieve a crispy fried chicken. Instead, I recommend to simply coat the chicken in cornstarch to shallow fry later.
Easy to make!
If you’re a fan of orange chicken, then you will love this dish. It’s very simple to make at home and most of the ingredients are accessible! It’s not spicy either. I love serving orange chicken and rice with steamed broccoli. But you can serve it however way you please.
What's orange chicken taste like?
Imagine crispy bite sized fried chicken smothered in a thick glossy orange tasting sauce with a hint of tang and garlic. Some recipes are spicy but mine is not.
So crispy!
This orange chicken from scratch is so crispy and almost crunchy! It stays very crispy in the sauce for hours unlike other recipes, even though it’s only shallow fried.
Crispy chicken without deep frying? How?
Well, there are a few reasons why we’re able to get this chicken so crispy without deep frying:
- Chicken thigh is a tender and forgiving cut of meat, as there is fat running on the sides. With that said, we can cook the chicken long enough to create a crispy crust without drying out the meat (about 10-12 minutes over medium high heat).
- Generously and evenly coating the chicken pieces in cornstarch. This is key to forming a crust as the chicken fries.
- Medium high heat (Level 8/10) is an important key factor. This allows for a crust around the chicken to form without burning it.
- Allowing the chicken to sear and form a crust without much movement in the pan. This is crucial to crispy chicken. If you’re constantly moving the chicken around, this doesn’t give it time to fry in the oil and develop a crust.
Ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need the following orange chicken ingredients:
- chicken thighs, boneless skinless cut into bite sized pieces (do not pat dry prior to cutting; See Notes section on why)
- cornstarch or potato starch
- green onion, finely chopped (optional)
- vegetable oil
Orange Chicken Sauce:
- freshly squeezed orange juice, no pulp
- white vinegar
- brown sugar
- regular soy sauce
- garlic, minced
- ginger powder
- cornstarch
How to make Orange Chicken
- In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
- Cut each thigh into bite size pieces, about 6-8 pieces per thigh depending on size. Do not pat chicken thighs dry, some moisture is needed for the next step (See Notes below for more information).
- In a bowl, add chicken pieces followed by cornstarch. Mix to coat each piece evenly.
- In a wok or pan, set over medium high heat, add vegetable oil. Allow this to get hot. To test, insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for bubbles. If you see bubbles, the oil is hot. To Air Fry Chicken: please see Notes section below.
- Carefully lower coated chicken into oil and quickly spread apart. Once chicken is spread apart, do not touch or move the pieces around. Allow pieces to sear and form a golden crust, about 5-6 minutes on each side.
- Once a golden crust has formed, flip chicken pieces over and cook on the other side until golden crispy brown (about 10-12 minutes in total).
- Remove and transfer fried chicken to a plate. Pour out any excess oil from pan.
- In the same greased pan set over medium high heat, pour sauce in. Stirring consistently until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in fried chicken until pieces are coated in sauce. Optional: garnish with green onions. Serve & enjoy!
NOTES
Chicken thighs should be moist to touch when removed from packaging. Otherwise, cornstarch will not stick. If not moist for some reason, run the thighs under cold water and let water drip off completely. Then cut into bite size pieces. The cornstarch should stick well.
To air fry chicken: Transfer cornstarch coated chicken into air fryer and give each piece enough space. You may need to air fry in two batches if needed. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes depending on your air fryer. Note: I am using a Philips Air Fryer and I air fried mine at 400 degrees at 14 minutes for a crispy texture. If you’re using a different machine, check your chicken at 12 minutes and if it needs more crispiness, air fry for another couple minutes until you reach your desired texture.
Cooking Tips
Below are tips on making my easy orange chicken recipe:
Can I use an air fryer instead?
Yes!
To air fry chicken: Transfer cornstarch coated chicken into air fryer and give each piece enough space. You may need to air fry in two batches if needed. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes depending on your air fryer.
Note: I have an Philips Air Fryer and I air fried mine at 400 degrees at 14 minutes for a crispy texture. If you’re using a different machine, check your chicken at 12 minutes and if it needs more crispiness, air fry for another couple minutes until you reach your desired texture.
Opt for chicken thighs for a tender cut
Use chicken thighs for this orange chicken stir fry. This cut is tender, juicy and forgiving if you accidentally overcook it and it’s best for these kind of crispy chicken recipes.
Do Not Pat Chicken Dry
The moisture from the chicken helps the cornstarch stick. In fact, if your chicken thigh is abnormally dry to the touch, I would recommend rinsing it under cold water and let the cold water drip off completely. Then cut it into pieces.
Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice is Recommended
Freshly squeezed orange juice is strongly recommended for the orange chicken sauce recipe! It’s naturally sweet, embodies the full taste of that orange flavour and it’s fresh! This will go a long way in making your orange chicken taste amazing.
Do not use Concentrate Orange Juice
If you decide to use store bought orange juice, please use “Not from Concentrate” orange juice without pulp. Please do not use concentrate orange juice.
Prepare your ingredients ahead of cooking
This is especially important. The cooking process is fast, under 15 minutes. So, make sure the sauce is pre-mixed, chicken is pre-coated in starch and the rest of your ingredients are ready to toss into the pan.
Use a pan that can withstand medium high heat
Medium high heat is important for this recipe. If you have a wok or pan that can withstand this temperature range, please use that.
Spread chicken apart after tossing into pan
Once you add the chicken into the hot pan or wok, spread it apart quickly to give each piece some space and do not touch it after that. Let the chicken sear and form a crust.
Don’t be tempted to move chicken constantly
After you’ve added the coated chicken into the pan and spread it apart – do not move it around. Let it sear and form a crust or you will not get crispy chicken. Do not move until you’re ready to flip the chicken over. If you keep moving the chicken around, that precious crust will fall off.
Crisp level is up to you!
Allow for the chicken to cook until your desired crisp level. I recommend cooking until 10-12 minutes for that golden crispy brown texture. If you prefer a less crispy chicken, 8-10 minutes is enough.
FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about this quick orange chicken recipe:
Is Orange Chicken Hot?
Some orange chicken recipes make this dish spicy with red chili but mine is not spicy at all.
Where did Orange Chicken come from?
Chef Andy Kho created it in 1987 and was inspired by the flavours and textures of a popular chicken dish from Hunan, China.
Is Orange Chicken Chinese?
Yes, the creator of this dish was inspired by Chinese cuisine to create this dish popularizing it for American taste.
Cooking questions
Why does my cornstarch fall off?
This means the chicken was abnormally dry (which doesn’t usually happen) or you used paper towel to pat dry it.
The chicken needs to be moist, or the cornstarch will not stick to it. If you run into this next time, run the chicken thighs under cold water and let the water drip off completely. Then cut into pieces and coat with cornstarch.
Do I have to use cornstarch?
No, you may sub with potato starch instead where it says cornstarch. I would not recommend using flour for this recipe.
Can I use chicken breast?
Yes, you may but I would not cook the chicken breast pieces past 6-8 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F. This is because it’ll taste dry.
Can I use store bought orange juice?
Yes, you may but it’s not recommended for the full taste of this recipe. If you do, please use Not From Concentrate without pulp.
Why isn’t my chicken crispy?
There are several reasons why:
- The cornstarch didn’t stick to your chicken because the chicken was abnormally dry to the touch.
- Chicken pieces did not have time to sear and form a crust.
- Too much movement and tossing of the chicken pieces.
- Low of a heat was used
- Chicken did not have enough time to cook to develop a crust.
What is orange chicken sauce made of?
Orange chicken sauce is made of the following ingredients:
- freshly squeezed orange juice, no pulp
- white vinegar
- brown sugar or white sugar
- regular soy sauce
- garlic, minced
- ginger powder or fresh ginger
- cornstarch
Why isn't my sauce thickening?
The heat level was not high enough for your sauce to reach a boiling point to become thick. Thick sauces need medium heat or more to thicken. The other factor is not enough cornstarch was used.
How to make orange chicken gluten free?
To make this panda express orange chicken recipe gluten free, substitute the regular soy sauce with tamari or gluten free soy sauce.
Other recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed my Chinese orange chicken recipe, you may enjoy these other recipes:
SWEET STICKY KOREAN CHICKEN
SWEET SPICY GOCHUJANG CHICKEN
MONGOLIAN CHICKEN
HONEY SESAME CHICKEN
KOREAN BULGOGI CHICKEN WINGS
SKILLET VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS CHICKEN
AIR FRYER TONKATSU SAUCE CHICKEN
VIETNAMESE GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN WINGS
KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN
SOY HOISIN CHICKEN THIGHS
Try it!
Well, I hope you give my Orange Chicken a try! It always excites me when you make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.
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Made this recipe and loved it?
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Take care,
Christie
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Easy Orange Chicken (no deep frying!)
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (470 grams) cut into bite sized pieces
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp green onion finely chopped (optional garnish)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Orange Chicken Sauce:
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice pulp removed (about 4 medium sized oranges)
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar (If you like your orange chicken very sweet, add 2 tbsp more)
- 2 tbsp regular soy sauce
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- ¼ tsp ginger powder
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
- Cut each thigh into bite size pieces, about 6-8 pieces per thigh depending on size. Do not pat chicken thighs dry, some moisture is needed for the next step (See Notes below for more information).
- In a bowl, add chicken pieces followed by cornstarch. Mix to coat each piece evenly.
- In a wok or pan, set over medium high heat, add vegetable oil. Allow this to get hot. To test, insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for bubbles. If you see bubbles, the oil is hot. To Air Fry Chicken: please see Notes section below.
- Carefully lower coated chicken into oil and quickly spread apart. Once chicken is spread apart, do not touch or move the pieces around. Allow pieces to sear and form a golden crust, about 5-6 minutes on each side.
- Once a golden crust has formed, flip chicken pieces over and cook on the other side until golden crispy brown (about 10-12 minutes in total).
- Remove and transfer fried chicken to a plate. Pour out any excess oil from pan.
- In the same greased pan set over medium high heat, pour sauce in. Stirring consistently until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in fried chicken until pieces are coated in sauce. Optional: garnish with green onions. Serve & enjoy!
NOTES
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