Better than Takeout Orange Chicken Recipe
Who needs takeout when you can whip up this delicious Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken in just over an hour. Juicy chicken lightly breaded and coated in a zesty orange sauce everyone will love!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 343kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 1 1/2 tsp Sriracha
- 1/4 tsp ginger freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca flour
- 1 Tbsp water
For the Chicken
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1" chunks
- 3/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca flour
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 cups vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). Lightly spray a 9x13-inch glass pan and set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl (or a 2-cup measuring cup), whisk together the chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, orange zest, Sriracha, ginger, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Place the cubes of chicken into a bowl with the whisked eggs. Toss the chicken (taking care to let the egg drip off) into a large ziplock bag full of cornstarch. Zip and shake until evenly coated.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Working in batches (3-4), add the chicken and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add the fried chicken to the prepared 9x13 pan. Whisk together a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water, add to the sauce, and then pour over the chicken. Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Remove and serve immediately.
Notes
This dish is best baked to help develop the flavor of the orange chicken sauce, to thicken it, and to make the chicken nice and tender. If you're in a time crunch, you can fry the chicken and heat the sauce (with the cornstarch and water mixture) in a small saucepan until thick, then pour over the chicken and eat immediately.
To STORE Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can FREEZE it for up to 6 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen.
REHEAT in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through, or use a microwave on medium power, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 737mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
