If the crave-worthy orange chicken from Chinese takeout is your weakness, this homemade version is about to become your new favorite. It’s crunchy on the outside, tender inside, and blanketed in a shiny citrus glaze that’s sweet, tangy, and wonderfully fragrant. You don’t need any specialty ingredients, just pantry staples and a little stovetop time.
Expect a perfect contrast of textures, crisp coating, juicy chicken, and a sticky orange sauce that clings beautifully to every bite. It tastes incredible fresh off the pan but reheats like a dream, making it ideal for both dinner and leftovers.
⭐ What Makes This Recipe Fantastic
- Super crispy, super juicy — thanks to a flour + cornstarch batter and quick frying.
- Bright natural orange flavor — real zest + fresh juice instead of sugary bottled sauce.
- Perfectly sticky glaze — thickened just enough to wrap the chicken in shiny, saucy goodness.
- Adaptable — bake it, make it spicy, swap in breast or thigh meat—your call.
- All the takeout flavor without takeout cost — and YOU control the ingredients.
🧾 Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1–1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 egg
- About 1 ¼ cups water (enough to form a smooth batter)
- Oil for frying
For the Orange Sauce
- Juice from 1 large orange (about ½–¾ cup)
- Zest from the same orange
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (regular or low-sodium)
- ¼ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- Optional: ¼–½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water (slurry for thickening)
Garnish & Serving
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Serve with rice, steamed vegetables, or broccoli
👩🍳 How to Make It
1. Prepare the Chicken
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- In one bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg with water until smooth and batter-like.
- Coat the chicken in the batter completely.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes if possible (helps the coating stick better).
10 minutes will do if you’re in a rush.
2. Fry to Perfect Crispiness
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a pot to 350°F (177°C).
- Fry the chicken in small batches for 1–2 minutes per batch, flipping once.
- Remove to a rack or paper towels to drain. Keep warm while finishing the rest.
3. Make the Orange Glaze
- Add the orange juice, zest, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a small saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil.
- Stir in your cornstarch slurry and cook until the mixture turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Taste and adjust, more sugar for sweeter, more vinegar for extra tang, more soy for saltier.
4. Combine & Serve
- Add the crispy chicken to a bowl or skillet.
- Pour the hot orange sauce over top and toss to evenly coat.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
- Serve immediately over fluffy rice with vegetables on the side.
📝 Helpful Notes
- Keep oil around 350°F, too cool = soggy, too hot = burnt coating.
- Fry in batches so the oil doesn’t cool down.
- Real orange zest + juice = unbeatable flavor.
- If sauce gets too thick, thin with a splash of water or extra juice; too thin, simmer longer or add a little more slurry.
- Leftovers shine in rice bowls, wraps, or fried rice.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- Steamed jasmine or white rice
- Brown or cauliflower rice
- Broccoli, snap peas, carrots, bell peppers, stir-fried or steamed
- Cucumber salad for something fresh and cooling
🔄 Variations
- Baked: Spray lightly with oil and bake at 400°F for 20–25 min, then sauce.
- Quick stir-fry option: Skip batter, sear seasoned chicken pieces, add sauce.
- Extra spicy: Increase red pepper flakes or stir in sriracha.
- Gluten-free: Use rice flour or cornstarch + GF soy sauce.
- Less sugar: Reduce brown sugar or swap in a low-cal sweetener.
💬 Final Word
This orange chicken tastes every bit as indulgent as takeout, with fresher flavor, better crunch, and the satisfaction of homemade cooking. Crisp, sticky, citrusy, addictive, you’ll want this one in your regular rotation.
Enjoy every crunchy-sweet bite. 🍊🍗✨
