Orange chicken is a deservedly popular Chinese-American takeout dish, enjoying crispy chunks of fried chicken breast coated in a sweet, tangy, and spicy orange-flavored sticky sauce. This effortless, must-have family dish is excellent for weekly rotation.

Serving up comfort food orange chicken with rice and broccoli.

I can’t imagine life without Chinese takeout. Ever since arriving in the States, I fell in love with Asian cuisine so much that I included it in my weekly rotation. The incredible marriage of spicy sauces is pure addiction.

Besides, food is a great way to connect to different cultures. And since I can’t always book a ticket to enjoy these foods where they’re enjoyed locally, making these tasty dishes in my own kitchen is the next best thing.

Sweet and sour gets together in a delicious recipe.

Why Orange Chicken Isn’t Really Chinese

Do you know that orange chicken is rarely found in restaurants in China? In fact, the sweet and sour orange sauce recipe is a take-off from the famous General Tso’s chicken, also not from China. Panda Express chef Andy Kao invented this dish in 1987, adjusting it to American tastes with sweetness balanced with sour.

Now, for a truly authentic Chinese recipe that’s not sweet at all, tangerine chicken is your go-to recipe. Saute your chicken with garlic, ginger, mandarin or tangerine juice and zest, Szechwan pepper, Chinese wine, and soy sauce. Finishing it off with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil delivers an authentic Chinese entree. Different, right: spicier and not so sweet and sour.

How to Make Orange Chicken

Making the sauce and seasoning the meat.

Sauce – In a large saucepan, simmer the chicken broth, orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sriracha, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, orange zest, and red pepper flakes over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. (Photos 1-2)
Thicken – In a small bowl, whisk water and cornstarch to form a paste. Slowly stir the cornstarch mixture into the orange sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside. (Photo 3)
Chicken – Cut up the boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper. (Photo 4)

Dredging the chicken, frying it, then saucing it.

Breading – In a medium-sized shallow dish, whisk together cornstarch and flour and set it aside. In a shallow dish, whisk the eggs. Then, dip the chicken into the eggs and dredge it in the cornstarch mixture. Place on a plate and set aside. (Photos 5-6)
Fry – Meanwhile, heat 2-3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or wok over medium-high heat. Working in small batches, fry the chicken, stirring often, until cooked through and golden brown (3-4 minutes). Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat the process for the remaining chicken. (Photo 7)
Serve – Toss the fried chicken chunks in the orange sauce until completely coated. Serve it hot over white rice with steamed broccoli on the side. (Photo 8)

A steaming hot plate of chicken smothered in a finger-licking-good orange sauce.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Add more sriracha (or any hot sauce) to crank up the heat, or leave it out for a kid-friendly meal.
For a grain-free, gluten-free breading, use your favorite grain-free all-purpose flour to replace both the cornstarch and flour.
If replacing the cornstarch with arrowroot starch, be careful not to heat it too quickly, as it’s more delicate than cornstarch.

Enjoying Asian-flavored chicken with rice and broccoli.

What Pairs Well With Orange Chicken

I always serve General Tso’s and orange chicken over steaming white rice—jasmine is my favorite. But these flavors also go well with coconut rice. Steamed broccoli with just a little salt is so good, but you could also roast it with carrots for a tasty side.