If you just can't get enough of the beloved Panda Express dish, our copycat recipe is a game-changer. Skip the drive-thru tonight—this homemade orange chicken is sweet, sour, and perfectly sticky enough to curb any takeout craving. Ready in under an hour with all of the same sweet and savory flavors you love, staying in for weeknight dinner has never been easier. Here’s everything you need to know:
What is orange chicken?
Orange chicken has become a staple in Chinese-American cuisine, and is a classic choice when it comes to takeout. Our recipe involves fried chicken tossed in a thick sauce made from orange juice, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, chili sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. The result is crispy bites of chicken coated in a sweet and sticky orange-flavored sauce that seeps perfectly onto an accompanying pile of rice.
How to make orange chicken:
Our version of this recipe is pan fried, which saves you time and energy instead of deep frying. If you’d rather skip frying on the stovetop, our air fryer orange chicken is a great alternative.
What is the best type of chicken to use?
We used boneless, skinless chicken breasts in our recipe, but you can also use chicken thighs if you prefer. Just remember that dark meat takes longer to cook than white meat, so we'd recommend upping the cook time by a few minutes.
Can I use all flour instead of cornstarch?
You can, but your chicken won't be quite as crunchy. Cornstarch is all starch, which will give you extra crunch as well as a nice golden color. All the crispiest fried foods use cornstarch, and it's a great secret ingredient for taking your breading to the next level.
Orange chicken serving ideas:
Rice is a classic choice for this chicken, but on top of greens or noodles would also be great pairings. If you want to go the rice route but you're trying to cut carbs, try our cauliflower rice instead.
Looking for sides? Crab rangoons, chow mein, and scallion pancakes would all be perfect alongside this dinner.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
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- Yields:
- 4 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 15 mins
- Total Time:
- 35 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 553
Ingredients
- 2
large eggs
- 1/4 c.
all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c.
plus 1 tbsp. cornstarch, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lb.
boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 tbsp.
canola oil, plus more for frying
- 2
cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp.
finely chopped peeled ginger
- 1/2 tsp.
crushed red pepper flakes
- 2/3 c.
fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp.
hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp.
reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp.
sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp.
apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp.
brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2
scallions, thinly sliced
Cooked white rice, for serving
Directions
- Step 1In a shallow bowl, beat eggs until blended. In another shallow bowl, mix flour and 1/2 cup cornstarch; season with salt and black pepper. Coat chicken in egg, then toss in flour mixture, tapping off any excess.
- Step 2Into a large, deep skillet, pour oil to a depth of 1/4". Heat until shimmering and a piece of chicken sizzles when added. Working in batches, fry chicken until golden brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Step 3In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Whisk in orange juice, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chili sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer.
- Step 4Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Slowly whisk into sauce to thicken and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is syrupy, about 5 minutes.
- Step 5Transfer chicken to a platter. Add sauce, toss to combine, and top with scallions. Serve over rice.
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