Chinese orange chicken is a bright, tangy take on a classic favorite. Crispy battered chicken pieces get tossed in a glossy orange sauce that balances sweet, salty, and a touch of heat. The texture is crunchy outside, tender inside, with a sticky sauce that clings to every bite. This recipe is simple to make at home with pantry staples and a short frying step, so it’s great for weeknights or casual dinners. Serve it over steamed rice or noodles for a quick meal, or offer it as a shareable dish for friends. If you like a fruity twist, try a similar idea like cranberry-orange chicken for a holiday spin.

Why You’ll Love This Chinese Orange Chicken

Crispy, golden battered chicken that stays tender inside.
Bright, sticky orange sauce with a balance of sweet, sour, and savory.
Uses common pantry ingredients you likely already have.
Fast weeknight dinner: batter, fry, toss in sauce, serve.
Sauce thickens quickly with a cornstarch slurry — no long simmer.
Flexible: adjust sweetness, heat, or use different proteins.
Makes great leftovers for lunch the next day.
Easy to scale up for guests or down for two.

What Is Chinese Orange Chicken?

Chinese orange chicken is a popular takeout-style dish featuring bite-sized pieces of chicken, battered and fried, then coated in a glossy orange-flavored sauce. The sauce is sweet from sugar and orange juice, salty from soy sauce, and bright with orange zest and a touch of vinegar. Garlic, ginger, and chili flakes add warmth and depth. The cooking method mixes quick frying for crispiness with a short sauce reduction so the coating stays crisp but well glazed. It has a comfort-food vibe perfect for weeknight dinners, casual gatherings, or even meal prep when you want a flavorful protein to pair with rice or noodles.

Ingredients for Chinese Orange Chicken

For the Base

27 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 egg white
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Vegetable oil for frying

For the Sauce

1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp orange zest
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
0.2 oz ginger, grated
1 tsp (or to taste) cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water to thicken

To Serve

Steamed rice or noodles
Optional garnish: green onions or sesame seeds

Ingredient Notes (Substitutions, Healthy Swaps)

Chicken: You can use boneless skinless thighs for more fat and flavor. Thighs change cook time slightly.
Cornstarch + flour: This mix gives a light, crisp batter. For a gluten-free option, use rice flour and more cornstarch, but texture will differ.
Egg white: Helps the batter bind. For egg-free, use a plant-based binder like aquafaba (not tested in this exact recipe).
Sugar: Swap with honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar, but you may need to reduce heat so it doesn’t burn.
Orange juice: Fresh is best for bright flavor. From-concentrate juice works too.
Soy sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce to control salt, or tamari for a gluten-free option.
Sesame oil: Adds aroma. If you don’t have it, omit or add a drop of toasted sesame seeds at the end.
Oil for frying: Any neutral oil with a high smoke point works (canola, vegetable, peanut). Use a thermometer if you have one.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Prep the chicken and batter
Pat the chicken pieces dry. In a bowl, combine 3 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 egg white, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix into a smooth batter. Toss the chicken in the batter until each piece is evenly coated.

Visual cue: Batter should cling to the chicken and not be watery.

Step 2 – Heat the oil for frying
Pour enough vegetable oil into a large frying pan so it’s a couple inches deep. Heat over medium-high until suitable for frying — about 350–375°F (175–190°C) if using a thermometer. If no thermometer, test with a small piece of batter; it should sizzle and rise to the surface steadily.

Pro cue: Keep the oil steady at medium-high to cook the chicken through without burning the outside.

Step 3 – Fry the chicken in batches
Fry the chicken in batches so pieces don’t crowd the pan. Cook until golden brown, about 5–6 minutes per batch depending on size. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Visual cue: Look for an even golden color and a firm texture when lightly pressed.

Step 4 – Make the orange sauce
In a clean pan, whisk together 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 Tbsp orange zest, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp white vinegar, 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil, 1/4 tsp chili flakes, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the sauce warms.

Step 5 – Thicken the sauce
Stir the cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water) into the warm sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Pro cue: Add the slurry slowly and watch thickness; sauce will thicken quickly and can become gummy if too much slurry is added.

Step 6 – Toss chicken in sauce and serve
Add the fried chicken to the pan and toss until every piece is well coated and heated through. Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles and garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if desired.

Pro Tips for Success

Dry chicken well before battering; moisture ruins the batter and makes oil splatter.
Keep batter cold and fry in batches to maintain crispiness. Crowded oil drops the temperature and causes soggy chicken.
Use a thermometer to keep oil at 350–375°F (175–190°C) for even frying.
Taste the sauce before thickening and adjust sugar, soy sauce, or vinegar to your preference.
Add slurry slowly — a little goes a long way. Wait 30 seconds between additions to judge thickness.
Fry chicken just until golden and a meat thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) for safety.
Warm the sauce gently; high heat can burn the sugar and change the flavor.
If sauce gets too thick, thin with a splash of orange juice or water.

Flavor Variations

Optional: Spicy Orange — add 1–2 tsp sriracha or increase chili flakes for more heat.
Optional: Honey Orange — replace some or all of the sugar with honey for a different sweetness profile. Reduce heat slightly when adding honey.
Optional: Garlic-Heavy — double the garlic for a bolder savory note.
Optional: Sesame Crunch — sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and add a drizzle of extra sesame oil at the end.
Optional: Vegetable Boost — toss in quick-cooked bell peppers or broccoli in the sauce for color and crunch (toss in sauce for 1–2 minutes to heat through).
Optional: Lighter Fry — shallow-fry or air-fry the battered chicken for less oil, but texture will be slightly different.

Serving Suggestions

Serve over steamed jasmine rice or brown rice for a simple meal.
Toss with ho fun or lo mein noodles for a saucy noodle bowl.
Place over cauliflower rice for a lower-carb plate.
Make a family-style platter with steamed vegetables and this orange chicken in the center.
Use as a filling for wraps or lettuce cups for a fun twist.
Pair with a light Asian-style slaw for crunch and contrast.
Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for color.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating

Make-ahead: You can cut and batter the chicken up to 8 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Make sauce the day before and reheat.
Storage: Store cooked chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Keep sauce and chicken separate if you want to preserve crispness.
Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat. If chicken was stored tossed in sauce, reheat gently until warm. For crisper chicken, bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes and then toss with warmed sauce.
Texture notes: Fried chicken will soften in sauce and in the fridge. Reheating crisps the surface but it will not be as crisp as freshly fried.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Freezing cooked chicken in sauce is possible but may change texture and sauce thickness. If you freeze, use airtight containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
For better freeze/thaw results, freeze chicken and sauce separately. Freeze fried chicken on a tray until solid, then transfer to a bag to prevent sogginess. Reheat from thawed or re-crisp in a hot oven.
If you do not want texture changes, plan to keep chicken in the fridge and consume within 3–4 days.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sodium
—|—:|—:|—:|—:|—:
385 kcal | 40 g | 26 g | 11 g | 1 g | 520 mg

Estimates vary by brands and portions.

FAQ About Chinese Orange Chicken

How do I keep the chicken crispy when I add the sauce?
Toss the fried chicken in the sauce just before serving. If you must combine earlier, keep the sauce and chicken separate until reheating and toss quickly.
My sauce is too thin. How do I fix it?
Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 Tbsp cold water and stir into the simmering sauce in small amounts until it reaches the right thickness.
The sauce is too thick or gummy — what happened?
Too much slurry or overcooking can make it gummy. Thin with a splash of orange juice or water and heat gently while stirring.
Can I bake or air-fry the chicken instead of frying?
Optional: Yes. Air-fry or bake the battered chicken, but expect a different texture — less deep-fried crispness.
How do I make this less sweet?
Reduce the sugar or swap some sugar for additional soy sauce or a splash more vinegar to balance sweetness.
How do I know the chicken is cooked through?
Use an instant-read thermometer — chicken should reach 165°F (74°C). Cut a piece open to confirm there’s no pink inside.

Notes

For brighter flavor, use fresh orange juice and zest rather than bottled substitutes.
Drain fried chicken briefly on a wire rack over a tray instead of paper towels to keep it crisper.
If your orange juice is very sweet, reduce sugar slightly and taste the sauce before thickening.
For a glossy finish, stir in the sesame oil at the end rather than cooking it for long.
Serve on a warm plate so the sauce stays shiny and the dish feels freshly made.

Troubleshooting

Bland sauce: Taste and add more soy sauce for salt, sugar for sweetness, or a splash of vinegar for brightness.
Soggy chicken: Oil may be too cool or you crowded the pan. Re-fry quickly at higher heat or re-crisp in the oven.
Sauce separates: Too much heat or over-thickening can break the sauce. Reduce heat and whisk in a small splash of water or orange juice.
Burnt sugar taste: Heat was too high. Start a new small batch of sauce and combine, or add more orange juice to dilute lightly.
Battering falls off: Batter was too thin or chicken was wet. Pat chicken dry and make batter slightly thicker.
Too salty: Use low-sodium soy sauce next time and balance with a bit more sugar or orange juice.

Final Thoughts

This Chinese orange chicken recipe gives you crispy, saucy bites that work for quick dinners and casual entertaining. It’s easy to tweak for heat, sweetness, or texture, and it pairs well with rice or noodles. For another take and extra inspiration, check out Modern Honey’s Chinese Orange Chicken.