This delicious orange chicken is coated with a flour mixture, fried until crispy, and covered in sweet, fresh, orange sauce. Serve over rice or a noodle stir-fry, This is a family favorite recipe that is better than takeout!
There is something about takeout orange chicken. Crispy chicken covered in a sweet orange sauce is so tasty and one of my families favorite restaurant meals.
What if I told you that you could take your favorite Chinese food and make it even better at home? And on top of that, make it using quality ingredients that you can trust, like fresh oranges. This easy orange chicken recipe is just that, and its simple to make in under an hour!
Serve it up with some rice, noodles, or you could even fold it up with sourdough tortillas to make a really delicious wrap. This is the best orange chicken, you are going to love this recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Flavorful – If you love the flavor of orange chicken, this recipe is made even better by using zesty, fresh orange juice to really make the orange flavor in this dish shine.
Easy – This homemade orange chicken recipe is as easy as dredging the chicken in a flour mixture, frying it up, and topping it with a simple and sweet sauce.
Healthier – While Chinese takeout orange chicken from your favorite restaurant may taste delicious, you don’t always know what ingredients are making up your meal. This recipe is made with whole food ingredients so you can feel better about feeding it to your family.
Ingredients
All purpose flour – I like to use einkorn flour for a recipe that cannot be fermented. Einkorn flour is naturally lower in gluten and is one of the oldest heirloom varieties that hasn’t been hybridized. All purpose flour will work just fine, though.
Neutral oil – I recommend using coconut oil or avocado oil for frying. These are the healthiest oils to fry in, since they are non-GMO, have a high smoke point, and are not highly refined.
Maple syrup – If you don’t have maple syrup, you can substitute with honey. It will have a slightly different flavor, but still very yummy.
Corn starch – Use organic corn starch whenever possible as corn is one of the most genetically modified foods.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Orange Chicken
Step 1: Add rice and water to a saucepan or Dutch oven. Cook for about 30 minutes on low heat with the lid on.
Turn heat off and allow it to steam with the lid on while you’re frying the chicken and making the sauce.
Step 2: To a large skillet (I like to use a cast iron skillet), add oil and place over medium heat.
To one bowl (I like using a shallow bowl or dish, like a pie plate), add flour and salt and stir. To another bowl, crack and whisk the egg.
Step 3: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and dip in a bowl with the egg, coating the chicken on both sides. Then dip the chicken in the bowl with salt and flour mixed together.
Step 4: Then dip the chicken in the bowl with salt and flour mixed together.
Step 5: Place the chicken pieces into the pan, in a single layer with the hot oil, and fry until golden brown on both sides. When done, place on a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to allow the excess oil to drain off.
Step 6: Combine all orange sauce ingredients (except cornstarch) in a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat until combined and lightly simmering.
Step 7: Create a cornstarch slurry by mixing together corn starch and cool water.
Stir in cornstarch slurry. Cook five more minutes, whisking constantly, until it thickens a bit. Take off the heat.
Step 8: Add chicken to sauce and gently toss. Serve it on a bed of rice and top with green onions.
Tips
- Try not to overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken, small batches are better. Too much chicken frying at once will lower the oil temperature and the result will not be as crispy.
- When zesting your oranges for the sauce, be sure to only zest the orange colored part of the rind to avoid a bitter taste.
- Like it spicy? Add some red pepper flakes to the sauce!
Recipe FAQs
Orange chicken from Chinese restaurants is not widely thought of as a healthy meal. It is made in a deep fryer with refined oils and usually contains quite a bit of sugar in the tangy sauce. This recipe is great for orange chicken fans because it is made slightly healthier! Using an oil such as avocado or coconut oil is healthier to fry in because they are not highly refined. The sauce is sweetened naturally using maple syrup instead of processed sugar. So you can still get that same orange chicken taste without the questionable ingredients.
No. You can skip the deep frying and just pan sear. You could even grill chicken breast, slice it up, and add the sauce. This is a good option and is still yummy, just not quite as crispy as fried chicken.
Let your homemade Chinese orange chicken cool, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Freeze up to 3 months and let it thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Dinner Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Homemade Creamy Chicken And Gnocchi Soup
- The Best Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Easy Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
- Creamy Chicken And Mushroom Pasta
- Sourdough Fried Chicken
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
The Best Easy Orange Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Cast Iron Skillet (any skillet or saucepan will do)
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup neutral oil for frying, This depends on the size of your skillet. I aim to coat the bottom of the pan about 1/2 inch.
For the sauce:
- Juice and zest from 3 oranges
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon corn starch + 1 tablespoon water, can omit but does help to thicken it up
For the rice:
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
- 3 cups water
- 3 green onions
Instructions
- Add rice and water to a saucepan or Dutch oven. Cook for about 30 minutes on low heat with the lid on.
- Turn heat off and allow it to steam with the lid on while you’re frying the chicken and making the sauce.
- To a large skillet (I like to use a cast iron skillet), add oil and place over medium heat.
- To one bowl (I like using a shallow bowl or dish, like a pie plate), add flour and salt and stir. To another bowl, crack and whisk the egg.
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and dip in a bowl with the egg, coating the chicken on both sides. Then dip the chicken in the bowl with salt and flour mixed together.
- Place the chicken pieces into the pan, in a single layer with the hot oil, and fry until golden brown on both sides. When done, place on a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to allow the excess oil to drain off.
- Combine all orange sauce ingredients (except cornstarch) in a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat until combined and lightly simmering.
- Create a cornstarch slurry by mixing together corn starch and cool water.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry. Cook five more minutes, whisking constantly, until it thickens a bit. Take off the heat.
- Add chicken to sauce and gently toss. Serve it on a bed of rice and top with green onions.
Notes
- I like to use einkorn flour for a recipe that cannot be fermented. This is because einkorn flour is naturally lower in gluten and is one of the oldest heirloom varieties that hasn’t been hybridized.
- I recommend using coconut oil or avocado oil for frying. These are the healthiest oils to fry in, since they are non-GMO, have a high smoke point, and are not highly refined.
- If you don’t have maple syrup, you can substitute it for honey. It will have a slightly different flavor, but still very yummy.
- Use organic corn starch whenever possible as corn is one of the most genetically modified foods.
- Try not to overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken, small batches are better. Too much chicken frying at once will lower the oil temperature and the result will not be as crispy.
- When zesting your oranges for the sauce, be sure to only zest the orange colored part of the rind to avoid a bitter taste.
- Like it spicy? Add some red pepper flakes to the sauce!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I used thighs here instead, for price and because we like the texture. So tasty! I also made broccoli to go with it.
How many pounds of chicken breast would you say?
The size of the chicken breasts can vary a lot, but I would say around a pound to a pound and a half.
I would serve it with roasted broccoli or Brussel sprouts. Or a mess of greens for a fusion of cuisines. Even with coleslaw, since it’s fried chicken! I make the greens in the IP so all 3 are nonissues while frying chicken.
I would serve it with roasted broccoli or Brussel sprouts. Or a mess of greens for a fusion of cuisines. Even with coleslaw, since it’s fried chicken! I make the greens in the IP so all 3 are nonissues while frying chicken.
How much orange juice about? 3/4 cup? This looks sooo good and orange chicken is one of our favorites!!
Yes that sounds about right!
Hi! How much oil do you fry in and what kind of vinegar do you use? I can’t wait to try this. My family craves orange chicken often and I love the idea of having a healthier way to enjoy it.
I add a enough to cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of oil. Just white vinegar. Enjoy!
Rice vinegar would be great
Great idea using the einkorn here. We love battered foods as well, but I seem to have issues digesting if just AP if used when its also fried. This should fix that. Beautiful photos!
This is the best orange chicken recipe I’ve ever tried! So simple and I love that it has healthier ingredients. It was a hit with my kids (even my pickiest eater loved it). We served it with green beans. Will definitely be making this again. Love your recipes!
Made this tonight for supper and it was delicious! Rave reviews from the family. Definitely a keeper recipe – thank you!
Yummay, I cannot wait to try this recipe for my family! Thank you so much Lisa for your hard work and recipes; it is truly apprrciated.
Please excuse the typo- I meant to type ‘appreciated’.