Go Back
–+ servings
orange chicken better than panda express

Orange Chicken

Dennis
Orange chicken that is easy to make at home and even better than take out.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 3 people
Calories 848 kcal

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large skillet

Ingredients
  

The Chicken

  • 1.25 lbs chicken thighs The fat from the skin will give extra flavor
  • 2 tbsp whiskey I used Fireball, the whiskey will help give us a crispier product

The Sauce

  • 2 tbsp corn starch Helps thicken sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp black soy sauce More powerful than regular soy sauce
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • ½ orange Zest and juice

The Breading

  • ½ cup corn starch
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp Chinese five spice powder Can sub with more chili powder if you have none
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs Keep separate from rest of breading

The Frying

  • 1 big pot vegetable oil Or canola, sunflower, etc.
  • 2 cloves garlic Minced

Instructions
 

The Chicken

  • Cut chicken off the bone into about 1 inch chunks. Put in bowl and add whiskey. Leave it on counter, uncovered.

The Sauce

  • Combine all sauce ingredients in a new bowl, save some orange zest to add at the end for presentation. Let them get to know each other while you work on the breading.

The Breading

  • Crack 2 eggs into a new bowl and beat them.
  • Combine all other breading ingredients into a bowl separate from the egg wash
  • Dip chicken chunks into egg wash bowl, then cover them thoroughly with your breading.

The Frying

  • Fill a pot with about 3 to 4 inches of vegetable oil. Bring the oil up to 375 F.
  • Gingerly, but confidently, drop the chicken chunks into the oil, one at a time, away from your body. Don't overcrowd the pot, if temperature drops below 325 F, stop adding chicken.
  • Fry chicken approx. 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Take chicken out to cool.

Fry Again

  • Get out a big skillet and heat up 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add minced garlic and extra orange zest if desired. Fry for 1 minute.
  • Add sauce mixture to skillet. Stir continuously until sauce becomes thicker, syrup like.
  • Add in chicken, stir until evenly coated in sauce.
  • Plate up, add orange zest to make it look pretty! Serve over white rice if desired.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 848kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 38gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 294mgSodium: 1267mgPotassium: 699mgFiber: 2gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 454IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 136mgIron: 4mg
Keyword best orange chicken, best orange chicken recipe, chicken recipes, easy to make orange chicken, homemade orange chicken, how to make orange chicken, orange chicken, orange chicken recipe, orange chicken sauce, panda express orange chicken
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!