A popular American Chinese orange chicken like zucchini mushroom chicken are Panda Express’s signature dishes. You will love this sweet, sour and savory Chinese takeout orange chicken recipe! Wanna know how to make tasty Chinese orange chicken at home?
Love Chinese food? Check out baby bok choy stir fry, eggplant & pork and mapo tofu recipes.
What is orange chicken?
Orange chicken is a popular American Chinese dish in North America. It’s Panda Express's, American Chinese fast food chains, signature dish. However, you can hardly find this Chinese orange chicken dish at local restaurants in China because this is an American style Chinese food. And, I didn’t even know about this dish until I live in the USA.
On the other hand, sweet and sour pork is a similar dish you can easily find in the southern part of China. And, the idea is very similar to orange chicken. Now, this Chinese Panda Express orange chicken is my family favorite dish and must order items if they go to Panda Express.
What are the ingredients for Chinese takeout orange chicken?
In this Chinese orange chicken recipe, it has 4 main parts of ingredients. Chicken thighs, seasonings, batter and sauce.
Seasonings ingredients:
To marinate the chicken, I just use salt, garlic powder, white pepper and sesame oil.
Batter ingredients:
The batter I use is egg, rice flour, all purpose flour and water. I like to add some rice flour because it makes the deep fried chicken crunchy and crispy.
Orange chicken sauce:
The sauce I use vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, chili pepper flakes (crushed red pepper), brown sugar, white sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, cornstarch and water.
Cooking tips for how to make Chinese takeout Panda Express orange chicken:
- Marinate chicken at least 15 minutes before cooking.
- I personally prefer to use chicken thighs instead of breasts because it has better texture.
- Adding rice flour can make the deep fried chicken crispy and crunchy.
- Double deep fry. (First deep fry around 350F until slightly golden, take out the chicken. Turn the fire to medium small temperature around 375F and deep fry again until it’s golden brown.)
- Cook the sauce and add the deep fried chicken. Then, toss it and make sure the sauce mixes and covers the chicken.
FAQs:
Can I use chicken breast instead?
Yes, you can. But, the texture is not the same. It is best to use chicken thighs.
Is it ok to use only all purpose flour?
It is ok. However, adding rice flour to the batter makes the fried chicken crispy and crunchy. It tastes even better!
How to know the oil is hot enough for deep fry?
You can use a thermometer (~35oF). Or, use a wooden chopstick to dip into the oil when you see some bubbles around the chopstick. It is a sign to show the oil is hot enough for deep fry.
What is double deep fry?
Double deep fry means deep fry again. First deep fry around 350 F until it’s slightly golden. Take the chicken out, turn the fire medium small. The temperature around 375F, deep fry again and until it’s golden brown.
What does the orange chicken sauce taste like?
It’s sweet, sour, savory and a little bit spicy. It tastes like Panda Express orange chicken or even better!
Can I not add chili peppers?
Yes, you don’t have to add chili peppers if you cannot handle spicy food. (The amount of chili pepper in the recipe is not too spicy. My kids can handle it too.) Or, you can adjust the amount of chili peppers to your spiciness.
Instructions for how to make Chinese takeout orange chicken:
Chicken Preparation:
1. Wash 4 pieces of boneless chicken thighs. Then, trim the fat and cut the chicken thighs into chunks.
2. Put the cut chicken thighs into a bowl. Add ⅛ teaspoon of salt, ⅛ teaspoon of white pepper, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil into the bowl. Mix it well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Batter mixture:
3. After, put ½ cup of rice flour, ½ cup of all purpose flour, 1 egg and ¾ cup of water into a mixing bowl.
4. Use a whisk to mix the batter very well.
5. Next, add the marinated chicken into the batter.
6. Mix well and cover the marinated chicken with batter.
Deep fry:
7. Pour 4 cups of vegetable oil into the wok and turn the fire to small. Heat up the oil until it's hot enough. Also, you can use a thermometer, the temperature is around 350 F. Or, use a wooden chopstick to dip into the oil when you see some bubbles around the chopstick. It is a sign to show the oil is hot enough for deep fry.
8. Slowly add the chicken covered with batter into the oil.
9. Let it deep fry until it's slightly golden. Take out the chicken and turn the fire to medium small.
10. Double deep fry the chicken. The temperature of the oil is around 375F and put the fried chicken into the oil again.
11. Until the chicken is golden brown. Drain the chicken and put them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Sauce:
12. Grate 2 slices of ginger.
13. After that, grate 2 cloves of garlic.
14. In a container, add ¼ cup of white sugar, ¼ cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of orange juice, ¼ cup of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix the sauce very well.
15. Next, pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into the wok. Turn on fire to medium small. Add the grated ginger and garlic. And, ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper (chili pepper flakes). Stir fry them a little bit.
16. The following, pour the sauce mixture from step 14. Stir them a little bit.
17. Then, add 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water into a small container. Mix them well.
18. Pour the cornstarch mixture from step 17 into the sauce. Keep stirring the sauce.
19. When the sauce thickens, add the deep fried chicken into the sauce. Toss it and make sure the chicken is covered with the sauce.
20. Lastly, slice half of an orange and put them on the orange chicken as decoration.
Enjoy this delicious Chinese takeout orange chicken recipe! Also, check out these Taiwanese beef noodle soup, siu mai dim sum and tonkatsu recipes.
You May Also Like These Recipes:
- CHICKEN CHOP WITH BLACK PEPPER SAUCE
- JAPANESE CHICKEN CURRY RICE
- CREAM CORN CHICKEN RICE
- HOW TO BAKE A WHOLE CHICKEN
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Orange Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 4 pieces Chicken thighs (Boneless and skinless)
- 1 Orange (Use half for decoration)
Marinate Chicken:
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon White pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
Batter:
- ½ cup Rice flour
- ½ cup All purpose flour
- 1 Egg
- ¾ cup Water
Sauce:
- 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon Crushed red pepper (Chili pepper flakes)
- 2 slices Ginger
- 2 cloves Garlic
- ¼ cup White sugar
- ¼ cup Brown sugar
- ¼ cup Orange juice (I use store brand)
- ¼ cup Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
Thicken Sauce:
- 1.5 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Water
Other:
- 4 cups Vegetable oil (For deep fry the chicken)
Instructions
- Wash 4 pieces of boneless chicken thighs. Then, trim the fat and cut the chicken thighs into chunks.
- Put the cut chicken thighs into a bowl. Add ⅛ teaspoon of salt, ⅛ teaspoon of white pepper, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil into the bowl. Mix it well and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- After, put ½ cup of rice flour, ½ cup of all purpose flour, 1 egg and ¾ cup of water into a mixing bowl.
- Use a whisk to mix the batter very well.
- Next, add the marinated chicken into the batter.
- Mix well and cover the marinated chicken with batter.
- Pour 4 cups of vegetable oil into the wok and turn the fire to small. Heat up the oil until it's hot enough. Also, you can use a thermometer, the temperature is around 350 F. Or, use a wooden chopstick to dip into the oil when you see some bubbles around the chopstick. It is a sign to show the oil is hot enough for deep fry.
- Slowly add the chicken covered with batter into the oil.
- Let it deep fry until it's slightly golden. Take out the chicken and turn the fire to medium small.
- Double deep fry the chicken. The temperature of the oil is around 375F and put the fried chicken into the oil again.
- Until the chicken is golden brown. Drain the chicken and put them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Grate 2 slices of ginger.
- After that, grate 2 cloves of garlic.
- In a container, add ¼ cup of white sugar, ¼ cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of orange juice, ¼ cup of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix the sauce very well.
- Next, pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into the wok. Turn on fire to medium small. Add the grated ginger and garlic. And, ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper (chili pepper flakes). Stir fry them a little bit.
- The following, pour the sauce mixture from step 14. Stir them a little bit.
- Then, add 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water into a small container. Mix them well.
- Pour the cornstarch mixture from step 17 into the sauce. Keep stirring the sauce.
- When the sauce thickens, add the deep fried chicken into the sauce. Toss it and make sure the chicken is covered with the sauce.
- Lastly, slice half of an orange and put them on the orange chicken as decoration.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make Chinese takeout Panda Express orange chicken:
- Marinate chicken at least 15 minutes before cooking.
- I personally prefer to use chicken thighs instead of breasts because it has better texture.
- Adding rice flour can make the deep fried chicken crispy and crunchy.
- Double deep fry. (First deep fry around 350F until slightly golden, take out the chicken. Turn the fire to medium small temperature around 375F and deep fry again until it’s golden brown.)
- Cook the sauce and add the deep fried chicken. Then, toss it and make sure the sauce mixes and covers the chicken.
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