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This orange chicken is just as tangy and delicious as your favorite take out dish and so easy to make at home.
What’s your favorite mall food? I’m not a huge fan of the mall food court, but if the kids are starving during a trip to the mall, my first choice is always the food booth with the orange chicken!
I love taking my favorite “eating out” foods and trying to create them at home. I have to say that this orange chicken recipe is better than the mall food court version. The flavor is perfect, but there is less breading and more chicken. There is nothing worse then biting into a piece of orange chicken and all you find is breading and no actual chicken!
After cutting the chicken into bite size pieces, the chicken is dipped into egg and then into a flour mixture and then quickly cooked in oil. Even though it is fried it does not have a heavy, greasy taste or feel to it.
While the chicken is cooking, mix up the sauce which uses orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and various seasonings and has a nice sweet tangyness to it. Add in a little cornstarch to thicken and then just pour it over the chicken. I always serve it with white rice and a garnish of chopped green onion for some nice color and flavor.
So next time you’re craving mall food, no need to head to the mall. Just stay home and enjoy!
For more easy and delicious Chinese takeout recipes, try:
Some of my favorite kitchen tools to use making Orange Chicken:
LEMON JUICE SQUEEZER – this is one of my most used kitchen tools. Nothing beats fresh squeezed lemon juice and this guy makes it so easy.
MICROPLANE ZESTER– this is the perfect tool for zesting lemons or limes. I use mine on a daily and weekly basis.
5 QT. NON STICK FRYING PAN – this is my go to frying pan. The one I use more than any other. I love that it has a lid.
Orange Chicken Recipe
Orange Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-1/2” cubes
- 1 ½ C all purpose flour
- 1 eggs beaten
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Oil for frying
Orange Sauce
- 1 ½ C water
- 2 Tbsps orange juice
- ¼ C lemon juice
- 1/3 C rice vinegar
- 2 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp orange zest grated
- 1 C packed brown sugar
- ½ tsp ginger root minced
- ½ tsp garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp green onion chopped
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, and pepper.
- Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat.
- Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.
- Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes.
- Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.
- Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly.
- Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens.
- Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions
Nutrition Facts:
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Originally posted June 4, 2010
Melissa says
This sounds great. Do you recommend a substitute for the all-purpose flour to make it gluten free?
Leigh Anne says
I like using almond flour
but rice flour would work too