Orange Chicken is a popular dish at Panda Express. But today, we’re not going to recreate Panda’s orange chicken. We’re going to make it better and fancier. You’ll be surprised by how delicious that is.
ORANGE CHICKEN (2-3 servings)
Ingredients:
- 17 oz (500g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tsp (12g) fresh ginger
- 1 mild red chili (optional), for color
- 1 orange
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for frying
- Generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
- 1 sliced green onion (optional), to garnish
Marinade:
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or mirin, dry sherry, water, etc.)
- Black pepper, to taste
- Small pinch of MSG (optional)
Orange Chicken Sauce:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh orange juice
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 4 tbsp store-bought orange juice
- Slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water)
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Fried Chicken Mix:
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 cup potato starch (or cornstarch)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
Instructions:
PREP INGREDIENTS
1. Marinate the chicken: Cut the chicken into nice, big chunks. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, black pepper, and MSG (if using). Gently massage it. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Thinly slice the chili pepper (if using).
3. Using a zester, get orange zest (1 tsp). Cut the orange in half and squeeze out the juice (1/4 cup).
MAKE SAUCE
1. In a small container, mix together the sugar, vinegar, fresh orange juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and store-bought orange juice.
2. In a wok (or pan), heat the oil (2 tbsp) over medium heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the garlic, ginger, and chili pepper (if using). Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Once the garlic just starts to go brown, add the sauce. Bring it to a boil.
3. Prepare the cornstarch slurry. Once it comes to a boil, add the slurry and immediately stir it until the sauce is thickened.
4. Turn the heat off. Add the orange zest and sesame oil (1/2 tsp). Stir to combine. Set aside.
FRY CHICKEN
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, potato starch (or cornstarch), baking powder, salt and pepper.
2. To make the wet batter, in a separate bowl, combine our fried chicken mix (1 cup) and water (1 cup). Whisk together until well combined.
3. Coat the chicken. Put them in the dry batter, dip into the wet batter, and back into the dry batter. Once they’re well coated, set aside.
4. Fill your wok (or pot) with enough oil. Heat it to 170℃ (340℉). Once it reaches the temperature, gently add in the chicken pieces. Working in batches, fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Remove them from the oil and drain on a wire rack. Bring the oil back up to 170℃ (340℉). Fry for 2 minutes or until light golden brown. Take them out and let rest on a wire rack.
6. Bring the sauce to a boil. Once it starts bubbling, add all the fried chicken. Quickly toss together for 30 seconds.
7. Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion (if using). It’s great as it is but if you could, serve with some carbs like Chow Mein or a bowl of hot rice. Enjoy~!
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YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
- Beijing Beef
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Mongolian Ground Beef
- Beef and Broccoli
- Lo Mein
- Sesame Chicken
Orange Chicken
3
servingsIngredients
17 oz (500g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
4 cloves garlic
3 tsp (12g) fresh ginger
1 mild red chili (optional), for color
1 orange
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for frying
Generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
1 sliced green onion (optional), to garnish
- Marinade:
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or mirin, dry sherry, water, etc.)
Black pepper, to taste
Small pinch of MSG (optional)
- Orange Chicken Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) white vinegar
1/4 cup (60ml) fresh orange juice
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp store-bought orange juice
Slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water)
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Fried Chicken Mix:
2 cups cake flour
1 cup potato starch (or cornstarch)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
Directions
- Prep Ingredients
- Marinate the chicken: Cut the chicken into nice, big chunks. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, black pepper, and MSG (if using). Gently massage it. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Finely mince the garlic and ginger. Thinly slice the chili pepper (if using).
- Using a zester, get orange zest (1 tsp). Cut the orange in half and squeeze out the juice (1/4 cup).
- Make Sauce
- In a small container, mix together the sugar, vinegar, fresh orange juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and store-bought orange juice.
- In a wok (or pan), heat the oil (2 tbsp) over medium heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the garlic, ginger, and chili pepper (if using). Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Once the garlic just starts to go brown, add the sauce. Bring it to a boil.
- Prepare the cornstarch slurry. Once it comes to a boil, add the slurry and immediately stir it until the sauce is thickened. Turn the heat off. Add the orange zest and sesame oil (1/2 tsp). Stir to combine. Set aside.
- FRY CHICKEN
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, potato starch (or cornstarch), baking powder, salt and pepper.
- To make the wet batter, in a separate bowl, combine our fried chicken mix (1 cup) and water (1 cup). Whisk together until well combined.
- Coat the chicken. Put them in the dry batter, dip into the wet batter, and back into the dry batter. Once they’re well coated, set aside.
- Fill your wok (or pot) with enough oil. Heat it to 170℃ (340℉). Once it reaches the temperature, gently add in the chicken pieces. Working in batches, fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove them from the oil and drain on a wire rack. Bring the oil back up to 170℃ (340℉). Fry for 2 minutes or until light golden brown. Take them out and let rest on a wire rack.
- Bring the sauce to a boil. Once it starts bubbling, add all the fried chicken. Quickly toss together for 30 seconds.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion (if using). It’s great as it is but if you could, serve with some carbs like Chow Mein or a bowl of hot rice. Enjoy~!
Notes
- 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 240 ml