Takeout Orange Chicken

Bring the taste of your favorite Chinese restaurant home with our delicious Takeout Orange Chicken recipe! Tender chicken pieces are coated in a sticky, tangy orange sauce bursting with flavor. Simple ingredients + easy steps ---- Skip the takeout and whip up a batch of homemade goodness tonight! Gluten-free Option.

When I'm craving Chinese takeout, I'm all about chicken dishes with sticky sauces. After nailing General Tso's Chicken, I knew I had to try Takeout Orange Chicken next. That crispy chicken in the sweet, tangy orange sauce? Absolutely mouthwatering! And when you pair it with rice, it's the perfect explosion of bold flavors.

But you know me—I'm all about keeping it healthy (Most of the time. Haha) So, I set out to find a version that suits my lifestyle, kind of like my go-to Healthy Weeknight Shrimp Fried Rice. Making the chicken + sticky orange sauce from scratch is seriously the best—you get to play around with the sweetness and pick the perfect side to go with it. My top picks are coconut rice or brown rice.

Say goodbye to greasy takeout and embrace this homemade version of Takeout Orange Chicken that packs all the bold flavors you crave, making it the perfect choice for a guilt-free and delicious weeknight dinner that is a surefire crowd-pleaser that the whole family will love! For more health-conscious versions of classic recipes try Weeknight Creamy Chicken Alfredo  or this Honey Garlic Shrimp next!

What is Takeout Orange Chicken?

Takeout Orange Chicken is a classic Chinese-American dish featuring crispy chicken bites drenched in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy orange sauce. It's the ultimate comfort food, perfect for satisfying those Chinese takeout cravings.

General Tso vs. Orange Chicken

General Tso's Chicken and Orange Chicken are pretty alike. They both have breaded and fried chicken coated in a sweet sauce. But while General Tso's Chicken has a kick from chili flavors, Orange Chicken gets its tangy sweetness from oranges.

Why You Will LOVE Takeout Orange Chicken

• Guilt-free comfort food with a sweet sticky orange flavor!
• Crowd-pleasing--perfect for gatherings!
• Textural bliss, the perfect balance of soft and crunchy.
• Explosive savory + sweet flavors in every delicious bite.
• A healthier twist on a classic favorite.
• Quick + easy recipe for a weeknight dinner!

How To Make Orange Chicken

There are 2 main elements to Orange Chicken-- Frying the chicken chunks + making the sweet sticky sauce, and then finally combining the two!

Ingredients

CHICKEN:

• Organic chicken breasts. Chopped into chunks.
• All-purpose flour. Used to coat the chicken.
• Cornstarch. Coating the chicken in cornstarch results in a crispy and light texture when cooked.
• Seasonings. Sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder + smoked paprika.
• Egg. This helps to bind the flour to the chicken.
• Extra virgin olive oil. For cooking. Feel free to use your favorite high-quality EVOO. My fave tried and trusted brand is California Olive Ranch.

SAUCE:

• Oranges. Freshly squeezed results in the best flavor.
• Orange marmalade. This takes the sweet orange flavor to another level.
• Organic cane sugar. For added sweetness. You can also use maple syrup, honey, organic brown sugar, or Agave.
• Tamari sauce or soy sauce. For a soy-free option, you can sub with Coconut Aminos see my Amazon Shop.
• Garlic cloves. Minced. The garlic infuses the sauce with the best umami flavor.
• Fresh ginger. You can also sub with ½ teaspoon ground ginger, if desired.
• Rice vinegar. Provides tangy notes.
• Cornstarch + warm water. Creating a slurry with arrowroot starch and water helps thicken the sauce to a perfect consistency.
• Sesame seeds. For garnish
• Peels of an orange. For added flavor.

SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS TAKEOUT DISH!

Here, I’ve curated a list of baking + cooking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite dishes, especially with this Orange Chicken. Everything from my fave pans, wooden spoons, parchment paper, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

What Can You Serve With This Chinese Orange Chicken?

Here are my favorite things to serve with this orange chicken recipe:

• Steamed White or Brown Rice.
• Stir-Fried Rice like this Healthy Weeknight Shrimp Fried Rice
• Cauliflower Rice.
• Stir-Fried Veggies.
• Sautéed Broccoli.
• Mixed Green Salad like this Roasted Cauliflower Green Goddess Salad 
• Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles).
• Sesame Green Beans.
• Garlic Ginger Bok Choy.

Can I Substitute the Chicken in this Recipe?

You can absolutely substitute the chicken in this recipe for with another meat alternative altogether such as:

• Vegan/ Plant-based chicken alternatives like Gardein
• Cauliflower
• Mushrooms
• Tofu
• Tempeh

Common Q + A's For Takeout Orange Chicken

More Delicous Homemade 'Takeout' Recipes

Now that you love this Takeout Orange Chicken recipe, give these other dinner recipes that your entire family will love a try next:

• Buffalo Chicken Melt Sandwich
• Plant-based Sesame ‘Chicken' + Noodles
• Bang Bang Shrimp Street Tacos
• Meatless Birria Tacos with Jackfruit
• Easy Blackened Salmon Sliders
• Vegetarian BBQ Meatball Pizza 

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you tried this Takeout Orange Chicken recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!

Takeout Orange Chicken

April 23, 2024 •

By Shanika

5 from 1 vote

Bring the taste of your favorite takeout home with our delicious Takeout Orange Chicken recipe! Tender chicken pieces are coated in a sticky, tangy orange sauce bursting with flavor. Simple ingredients + easy steps ---- Skip the takeout and whip up a batch of homemade goodness tonight! Gluten-free Option.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Serves: 4 servings

Units:

US Customary|Metric

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Ingredients

CHICKEN:

• 2 lbs. organic chicken breasts, chopped into chunks
• ¾ cup organic all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsps cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 large organic egg
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking

SAUCE:

• 2 large oranges, freshly-squeezed
• 2 Tbsps orange marmalade
• 6 Tbsps organic cane sugar
• 4 Tbsps Tamari sauce or soy sauce (For a soy-free option, you can sub with Coconut Aminos; See Amazon Shop)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (You can also sub with ½ teaspoon ground ginger, if desired)
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsps cornstarch + 6 Tbsps water
• Sesame seeds, for garnish
• peels of an orange

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CHICKEN:

• In a bowl, add the chicken pieces along with 1 teaspoon of each: salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder, stirring everything together until chicken are coated.
• In a bowl, beat the egg.
• In a plate or bowl, add the cornstarch and in another plate or bowl add the flour.
• Now, toss each piece of chicken into the cornstarch and then the egg mixture followed by the flour (shaking off any excess) and then lay each coated chicken side by side onto a baking sheet or plate until read to use. Repeat until all chicken are coated.
• In a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once heated, add the chicken pieces and let fry until golden brown and crisp on one side, about 3-4 minutes. Then flip chicken pieces onto opposite side and fry for another 3-4 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from heat and set aside onto a plate.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

• In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the minced garlic and ginger, sautéing until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, Tamari sauce, orange peels, and orange marmalade and whisk everything together until it begins to boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and let everything simmer for another 2-3 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
• In a bowl or cup, mix together the arrowroot and water, until combined and "milk-like" in consistency. Add in the arrowroot mixture into the sauce, stirring until it begins to thicken.
• Add in the crispy chicken pieces and toss them until coated, cooking for another 5-10 minutes or until fully cooked through and sticky. Garnish with sesame seeds.
• Remove from heat and serve immediately with your favorite side of rice or noodles.
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

• STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. Reheat over the stovetop or microwave until heated through when ready to serve.
• GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this dish GF, just ensure that all sauce ingredients (including using Tamari sauce instead of soy sauce) are GF-friendly and the best alternative to cornstarch is arrowroot starch and flour is GF flour. 
• SWEETENER: You can always substitute the cane sugar with maple syrup, honey, organic brown sugar, or Agave.

Nutrition

Calories: 955kcal | Carbohydrates: 238g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 2356mg | Potassium: 947mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 134g | Vitamin A: 1851IU | Vitamin C: 200mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 6mg

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