Chinese Orange Chicken

Name: Chinese Orange Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: chinese
Ingredients: Zest of 1 Orange; 1/4 cup Orange Juice; 1/4 cup Soy Sauce; 1/4 cup Water; 1/3 cup Rice Vinegar; 1 tablespoon Cornstarch; 1 tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil; 1/2 cup Sugar; 650 g Chicken Thighs; 2 large Egg; 1 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Black Pepper; 1/2 cup Cornstarch; 1/2 cup All purpose flour; 2 cups Vegetable Oil; 2 cloves chopped Garlic; 1 chopped Shallots; Sliced Scallions; Garnish Sesame Seed; To serve Rice

A classic Chinese chicken from TheMealDB community kitchen — straightforward technique, real ingredients.

Updated April 25, 2026

min total

servings

1857

cal / serving

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Heads up: dietary tags are inferred from listed ingredients. If you have a medical allergy or intolerance, verify each ingredient against a label before cooking. This is not certified-allergen-safe content.

Origin

Categorized as Chinese Chicken in TheMealDB. Original source: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chinese_orange_chicken/

Ingredients

Zest of 1Orange
1/4 cupOrange Juice
1/4 cupSoy Sauce
1/4 cupWater
1/3 cupRice Vinegar
1 tablespoonCornstarch
1 tablespoonSesame Seed Oil
1/2 cupSugar
650 gChicken Thighs
2 largeEgg
1 tspSalt
1/4 tspBlack Pepper
1/2 cupCornstarch
1/2 cupAll purpose flour
2 cupsVegetable Oil
2 cloves choppedGarlic
1 choppedShallots
SlicedScallions
GarnishSesame Seed
To serveRice

Instructions

01
Make the orange sauce:
02
Whisk together sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03
Prep the chicken:
04
Cut chicken into about 1-inch cubes. Whisk eggs with salt and black pepper in a bowl and add chicken. Stir together.
05
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and cornstarch. Remove chicken from eggs with a slotted spoon or tongs, letting excess egg drain off, then transfer to cornstarch mixture and coat well.
06
Fry the chicken:
07
Add oil to a large 10- to 12-inch skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can also test the temperature by sprinkling in some flour. If the oil is hot enough, it should fizzle immediately.
08
Once oil is hot, fry the chicken in two batches. The oil might not completely cover the chicken—that’s okay. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 4 more minutes. Total cook time is about 6 to 8 minutes.
09
Remove fried chicken cubes and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, so the chicken can drain. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
10
Simmer the chicken in the sauce:
11
Once chicken is done, pour out hot oil and wipe pan clean. Add a fresh tablespoon of oil along with chopped garlic and shallot. Cook for a minute and then add the sauce. Simmer the sauce until it starts to thicken.
12
Once the sauce is lightly bubbling, add fried chicken and toss together to coat. The sauce should continue to thicken and stick to the chicken. Let simmer for a minute or two more. Serve orange chicken over cooked white rice, garnished with sesame seeds and fresh scallions.
13
Did you love this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!
14
LEFTOVERS! The orange chicken keeps well in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water over low heat. Freeze the orange chicken for up to 3 months, but be sure to thaw it before reheating so the chicken doesn’t clump together.