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–+ servings
orange chicken

Easy Orange Chicken Without Orange Juice

Sweet orange with a little bit of heat. Just the way you like it.
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Chicken, Chinese Take -out
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 450kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1" chunks
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon oil plus more for frying
  • 1 cup corn starch plus 1 tbsp
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • 1 orange zest only
  • 1 ½ tablespoon grated ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste preference
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Cut chicken into 1" chunks, trimming off fat.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons oil. Add chicken chunks and stir to coat.
  • In a separate bowl mix together 1 cup cornstarch and flour.
  • In a third bowl, make orange sauce by combining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, rice vinegar, water, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar, and orange zest. Set aside.
  • Heat cooking oil in a frying pan or wok over medium high heat to 375ºF.
  • Take a small handful of chicken chunks and dredge in flour mixture. Coat chicken on all sides.
  • Fry chicken until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.
  • Let chicken drain on wire rack and continue to cook remaining chicken in small batches. Repeat until all chicken is cooked.
  • Drain oil from pan leaving only a small amount coating the bottom of the pan.
  • Over medium high heat, cook grated ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes for 10-15 seconds until scent is released but do not let it turn brown.
  • Pour in the bowl of orange sauce and bring to a boil. Allow sauce to thicken for about 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Remove from heat and add in cooked chicken. Toss to coat on all sides. Enjoy!

Notes

Use orange peel or zest and not orange juice.
This recipe does not use a heavy breading only a light coating to help the chicken "crisp up" during cooking.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Easy Orange Chicken Without Orange Juice
Amount per Serving
Calories
450
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
151
mg
50
%
Sodium
 
1518
mg
66
%
Potassium
 
672
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
 
48
g
16
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
19
g
21
%
Protein
 
36
g
72
%
Vitamin A
 
224
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
 
14
mg
17
%
Calcium
 
36
mg
4
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.