Orange Chicken
Servings 2 people
Orange Chicken (Panda Express Copycat) has tender chunks of pan fried chicken that are smothered in a delicious orange sauce that has a kick of heat! The perfect quick night dinner option that's ready in just 35 minutes!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Sauce:
- 1 cup orange juice divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- chopped green onions optional garnish
- toasted sesame seeds optional garnish
Instructions
- Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. I like to butterfly my chicken, the cut each half into strips, then smaller chunks so the pieces aren’t as thick.
- Whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Beat the eggs in a shallow dish and place next to the bowl with the flour mixture.
- Pour the oil into a heavy skillet and heat over medium-high until it reaches approximately 350°F.
- Stir the chicken pieces into the beaten eggs. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the egg wash and place them on paper towels.
- Then transfer the chicken pieces into the bowl with the flour mixture. Stir to coat well.
- Transfer the coated chicken to the skillet. Cook the first side undisturbed for about 5 minutes, then using tongs, turn each piece over and cook the other side.
- While the chicken is cooking, measure out 1 cup of orange juice. Remove 2 Tablespoons of orange juice to a small bowl and mix it with 1 Tablespoon cornstarch. Set this aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes.
- Once the chicken pieces have reached an internal temperature of 165°F, transfer from the skillet to a paper towel lined plate. Safely dispose of the oil in the pan.
- Return the skillet to the stove and pour the orange juice mixture into it. Gradually stir in the orange juice/cornstarch mixture. Allow this to cook for about 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Make sure to stir often, bringing up any bits that may be stuck on the pan from cooking the chicken.
- Once the sauce has reached the desired thickness, add the chicken back to the pan and stir to coat well.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve with rice.
Notes
- How To Store: Store any leftover Orange Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Enjoy for up to 5 days! You can also freeze this for up to 6 months!
- Substitutions:
- Chicken Breast – Use any boneless, skinless chicken that you have on hand. Thighs would work well too!
- Granulated Sugar – Swap it out for brown sugar if you need to but keep in mind it may slightly change the flavor.
- Cloves Of Garlic – You can use 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder if you don’t have garlic cloves!
- What’s The Best Way To Heat Up Leftovers? Reheat leftovers in a skillet on the stove or in an air fryer. You can also heat them up in the microwave but the texture wont be as good!
- Can The Chicken Be Baked Instead Of Frying it? Absolutely! To do so just spread the chicken out onto a large, greased baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Then you’ll broil it for another 2-3 minutes to brown up the chicken before tossing it in the skillet with the sauce! Just note that this will give the chicken a completely different texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 679kcal | Carbohydrates: 116g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 236mg | Sodium: 1248mg | Potassium: 818mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 595IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/orange-chicken/