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This easy orange chicken with rice is crispy, saucy, and full of bold citrus flavor—just like takeout, but better and made right at home!
This orange chicken is crispy, sticky, saucy perfection – just like your favorite takeout, but homemade and way better.
Every bite has that sweet, tangy orange glaze with a hint of spice and tons of flavor.
The chicken is double fried until golden and crunchy, then tossed in a sweet and savory sauce that will have you thinking you got takeout from one ofyour favorite Chinese restaurants or takeout spots.
This recipe will have thinking “Panda express – who??”
Serve it over fluffy white rice to soak up all that delicious sauce. It’s surprisingly easy and I walk you through every step with tips and tricks to ensure you get that perfect bite every time.
Love this recipe? Make my Honey Garlic Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Chinese Fried Chicken Wings next!
Why This Is The Best Orange Chicken
- Takeout classic made right at home! Bold, fresh orange flavor and no delivery wait time.
- Bold Flavor! The flavor of this homemade orange chicken recipe is unmatched. It has that restaurant quality taste but is easy enough to make right in your own kitche.
- Crowd pleaser, perfect for movie nights or game night at home when you want to impress!
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below)
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs are my favorite dark meat! I use it in my sweet and sour chicken so you know we had to use it here too for that juicy, tender texture! If you prefer chicken breasts, be sure to use skinless chicken breasts and cut into chunks.
- Fresh Orange Juice will give you the best citrus flavor, but use whatever you have on hand! Since orange zest is one of the ingredients, I zest the oranges first, then juice the oranges for the sauce.
- A mixture of cornstarch and all purpose flour are what give this crispy chicken that nice crunch. A little cornstarch also prevents the breading from becoming soggy after coating in that tangy sauce.
- I like to use ginger paste and fresh ginger for extra flavor. Save leftovers and make my mongolian ground beef noodles next.
- We’re frying the chicken in vegetable oil (you can use any oil with a high smoke point) and using sesame oil to build extra depth of flavor in the sauce.
- For the sauce, we’re using a mix of ketchup, brown sugar, chicken broth, vinegar, and soy sauce as a base. And of course, orange juice. These provide the tangy, sweet base that we all love!
How to Make Orange Chicken
Step 1: Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, combine sliced chicken thighs, ginger paste, garlic paste, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and orange juice. Mix together until a thick paste forms around the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to sit for 30 mins to an hour.
Step 2: Mix together the flour dredge ingredients, all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat in the dredge, tossing to ensure all pieces are fully coated.
Step 3: Add 2-3 inches of oil into a large pot and preheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Add chicken in batches, ensuring not to crowd the pan. Fry for 4-5 minutes, then remove chicken onto a wire rack. Once all of the chicken is fried, heat the oil to 375 degrees F and fry again for another 3-5 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Remove onto the wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to cool.
Step 4: In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, mix together orange juice, ketchup, brown sugar, chicken broth, vinegar, orange zest, and garlic paste. This is for the orange chicken sauce.
Step 5: In a large pot, add 2 tbsp sesame oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic, green onions white and minced ginger. Stirring constantly, cook for 20 seconds, then pour in the remainder of the orange juice ingredients. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water to make a cornstarch slurry and pour into the sauce. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add in red pepper flakes and remove from heat.
Step 6: Add the chicken and coat in the sauce. Remove from the pan and serve with white rice. Top with the chopped scallion greens, sesame seeds, and extra orange zest.
Pro Cooking Tips
- Orange Chicken is best served fresh! Over time, the sauce can make the breading soggy so if you’re not eating immediately, not store the chicken and the sauce separately and heat mix together just before serving.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot – this allows for the even heat distribution which allows for the chicken to cook evenly, preventing burning.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan! This prevents the chicken from sticking together. It also prevents the temperature of the oil from dipping too much. Fry in batches, it may take longer but will provide the best results.
- Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. This is integral to getting the chicken nice and crispy. The first fry will be at 350 degrees F and the second will be 375 degrees F.
What To Serve With Orange Chicken
Of course a big bowl of fluffy rice and some roasted broccoli or green beans does it every time!
You can’t go wrong with a side of crab rangoon egg rolls and some steak fried rice too. Cauliflower rice is a good option for added veggies/low carb option.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! Chicken breasts are leaner and still work well, but they may not be as juicy as thighs. Just be careful not to overcook them so they stay tender.
Toss the chicken in the sauce right before serving. Don’t let it sit too long or it’ll get soggy. You want the sauce to cling to the chicken, not soak through it.
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable, canola, peanut oil, or avocado oil. These hold up well to high heat and won’t overpower the flavor of the chicken.
Yes! Air frying works surprisingly well—spray the chicken lightly with oil and cook at 400°F until crispy, flipping halfway through. I don’t recommend baking it as it won’t get crispy.
Store the chicken and sauce separately if possible. To reheat, pop the chicken in the oven or air fryer at 375°F for a few minutes to bring back the crunch, then toss with warm sauce before serving.
More Chicken Recipes
Main Course
Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe
Main Course
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Appetizers
Garlic Butter Wings
Main Course
Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
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If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can celebrate your beautiful creations!
Orange Chicken and Rice
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Skillet
- Saucepan
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups Cooked Rice
Orange Chicken Marinade
- 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing Wing
- 1/4 cup Cornstarch
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice
Flour Dredge
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
Orange Chicken Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups Orange Juice
- 1/2 cup Ketchup
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup Chicken Broth, (or water)
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Orange Zest
- 1 tsp Garlic Paste
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp Water
- 2 cloves Garlic, (diced)
- 2 tsp Fresh Ginger, (minced)
- 4 Green Onion Stalks, (onion whites and greens separated)
- 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, combine sliced chicken thighs, ginger paste, garlic paste, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and orange juice. Mix together until a thick paste forms around the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to sit for 30 mins to an hour.
- Mix together the flour dredge ingredients, all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat in the dredge, tossing to ensure all pieces are fully coated.
- Add 2-3 inches of oil into a large pot and preheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Add chicken in batches, ensuring not to crowd the pan. Fry for 4-5 minutes, then remove chicken onto a wire rack. Once all of the chicken is fried, heat the oil to 375 degrees F and fry again for another 3-5 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Remove onto the wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, mix together orange juice, ketchup, brown sugar, chicken broth, vinegar, orange zest, and garlic paste. This is for the orange chicken sauce.
- In a large pot, add 2 tbsp sesame oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic, green onions white and minced ginger. Stirring constantly, cook for 20 seconds, then pour in the remainder of the orange juice ingredients. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water to make a cornstarch slurry and pour into the sauce. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add in red pepper flakes and remove from heat.
- Add the chicken and coat in the sauce. Remove from the pan and serve with white rice. Top with the chopped scallion greens, sesame seeds, and extra orange zest.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Main Course
Juicy Pan Seared Pork Chops
Desserts
Vanilla Pound Cake
Breakfast
My husband is a great fan of Chinese food and I have tried several recipes for orange chicken and this one is a keeper. I love this recipe and have made it several times. It is a hit in our house.
The recipe was delicious but too much sesame oil for my taste. I would make again with much less so I get more orange flavor and less sesame coming through.
Thanks for your feedback!
Is the sesame oil amount of 1/3 cup correct? That’s seems like an insane amount of sesame oil. That converts to 5 tbsps. Most other orange sesame recipes call for 1 tsp. This is orders of magnitude greater. Not sure how this will turn out, I put about half of the 1/3 cup since that’s all I had on hand.
Hi! Yes, this is the correct amount. I hope that you enjoy it!
I made this recipe for my son last week, and thought “if he doesn’t like it, I’ll just have more for myself.” I ended up having to give him some from my plate because he LOVED it. This is such a flavorful version of a classic orange chicken, the sauce was superb and the broccoli was delicious. Britney, you’re a genius!!
Awww thank you so much Morgan! I truly appreciate it and I’m so glad that you and Row enjoyed this recipe!! 🙂
This recipe is better than takeout! Ate it with some rice and broccoli, delicious and quick and easy to make!
So happy to hear this! Thank you!
This was so delicious and satisfied ALL the comfort food cravings I was having tonight! Served it with jasmine rice and sesame roasted broccoli
I’m so happy that this dish could satisfy your cravings! Thanks for your feedback!
Delicious, quick, and easy! I loved this recipe, and will definitely make it again!
So glad to hear that! Thank you for your review!