Homemade Orange Chicken is easy to make and absolutely delicious. You will never want take out again after making this delicious dinner.
Fake out take out meals are one of my very favorite. And truthfully, one of my family’s favorites too! We make stir fry of some sort or another about once a week, and now we have a new one to add to the list.
This Orange Chicken is a simple spin on that take out dish you love so much. Made with simple ingredients, but a marinating process that kicks up the flavor, you are going to love this great recipe.
I prepared this dish last evening and it was a big hit. The marinade had an aroma that I am not sure I have witnessed before. In a word – unbelievable! Thank you inserting the ingredients with the cooking instructions. This made the preparation even easier. Thank you again, Lisa!
How to Make Orange Chicken
Here is a brief overview of how this easy orange chicken recipe comes together. For the recipe including all measurements and cook times, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together sauce ingredients until they are well combined.
- Marinate the chicken. Cover the chicken with about half of the sauce in a reusable container and refrigerate. Put the other half of the sauce in a separate container in the refrigerator. See more on marinating chicken below.
- Bread the chicken. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. After patting the chicken dry very well, place it in the bowl with the flour mixture. Mix to combine until the chicken is fully coated.
- Cook the chicken, browning for about two minutes on each side in a hot skillet with oil.
- Add the sauce. Reduce the heat and add the reserved sauce. Simmer and cook for five minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice.
Homemade Orange Chicken Sauce
This orange chicken sauce recipe is tangy and slightly sweet, making it the best! Made with just a few simple ingredients, it acts as both a marinade for the chicken as well as a sauce. Because we are making it from scratch, we can control for things like sugar, gluten, and sodium.
Here is what makes up this delicious orange chicken sauce recipe:
- Orange juice: In addition to water, this is the base of the sauce adding volume and flavor.
- Rice wine vinegar: All types of vinegar are created from different sources. This one is made from rice wine, giving it a great and unique taste. I highly recommend grabbing a bottle of this, and resisting the urge to replace it with white vinegar. If you are in a pinch, replace it with 2 1/2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
- Soy sauce: This acts as the salt and a part of the liquid base of the sauce.
- Brown sugar: This brings the sweetness and balances out the acidity of the orange juice and vinegar.
- Garlic: Adds another layer of flavor.
- Orange zest: This adds additional orange flavor and depth that the orange juice can’t do alone.
- Ginger: We love to buy it as a refrigerated tube, but you can also buy it as a root. Peel it and then store the leftovers in the freezer for future use.
- Red pepper flakes: These add the spice. With the recommended amount, it shouldn’t be too spicy. If you prefer your orange chicken to be on the spicier side, add more red pepper flakes.
Marinating Chicken
When we marinate chicken in our orange sauce, the marinade is only able to penetrate the outer surface of the meat. Realistically, you only need about a half hour to make that happen with this recipe. Conversely, once the chicken has sat in the marinade for 24 hours, the salt in the marinade can break down the proteins in the meat, resulting in a gummy piece of chicken.
Breading Chicken
Breading the chicken gives it a crispy outside and a tender, juicy inside. The key is to pat the chicken dry before putting it in the flour mixture to give it just a light breading. Patting the chicken dry will also ensure that the flour adheres to the chicken and doesn’t clump off during the cooking process. The flour is lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and since the chicken was marinating, it will still hold the flavor and moisture of the sauce.
FAQ
Because of the flour and soy sauce, it is not gluten-free. You could swap the flour for a gluten-free alternative and use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
Yes! They will be moist and delicious.
Nope! The red pepper flakes add just enough of a kick without making it too spicy and are balanced well with the brown sugar and orange juice.
Storing and Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat leftovers, add the desired amount to a saucepan and heat over low heat until heated through. Serve over fresh or reheated rice or cauliflower rice. Always use your best discretion when storing and reheating leftovers.
Other Chicken Dinner Recipes
If you try this easy orange chicken recipe or any of my others please leave a comment letting me know what you think.
Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (453.6 grams) diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup water (4 ounces)
- 1/2 cup orange juice (4 ounces)
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar (2.6 ounces)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (2 ounces)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (106.5 grams) packed
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (6 grams)
- 2 teaspoons ginger (4.04 grams) grated
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (.25 grams)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (2.6 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (.58 grams)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (1.5 ounces)
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together the water, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, orange zest, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until well combined.1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the chicken to a reusable container. Pour half of the sauce over the chicken. Toss to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours. Reserve the other half of the sauce in the refrigerator.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- When ready to make, combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, whisking to combine. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discarding the remaining marinade), pat it dry very well, and place it in the bowl with the flour mixture. Mix to combine until the chicken is fully coated.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken, browning for about 2 minutes on each side.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the reserved sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Serve over rice and enjoy.
Notes
Chris says
Anyone tried this without the breading? I’m just trying to avoid the carbs.
You can definitely skip the flour, you are just going to miss some of that classic texture.
Carol says
I was also wondering if skipping the flour would work
For sure you can skip the flour! You’ll miss a bit of that class orange chicken texture, but you will still enjoy it.
Ettore says
I prepared this dish last evening and it was a big hit. The marinade had an aroma that I am not sure I have witnessed before. In a word “unbelievable”!
Thank you inserting the ingredients with the cooking instructions. This made the preparation even easier.
Thank you again Lisa
I’m so glad that this was such a win!
Brooks says
I made this two nights ago with a slight tweak. I used a 1/2C APF coupled with a 1/2C corn starch. Absolutely fabulous dish! Keep up the great posts!
I’m so glad you liked it!