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Orange chicken recipe
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Orange Chicken (Chén Pí Jī 陈皮鸡)

Crispy battered chicken in a glossy sweet, tangy and garlicky orange sauce. The secret to real orange flavor isn't just the juice – it's the zest.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

Orange sauce

  • 1 orange zest only
  • ¼ cup orange juice 60 ml
  • ¼ cup soy sauce 60 ml
  • ¼ cup water 60 ml
  • ⅓ cup rice vinegar 80 ml, light or dark
  • ½ cup sugar 100 g
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Chicken

  • 450 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs about 1 lb, or breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground white or black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups vegetable oil about 500 ml, for frying
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

Garnish

  • 1 scallion sliced
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Put the chicken pieces in a bowl with the Shaoxing wine, salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside for 20 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together all the orange sauce ingredients until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve.
  • In another bowl, whisk the eggs, cornstarch and flour into a smooth batter. Add the chicken and coat each piece well.
  • Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan to about 175 °C (350 °F). Gently add the battered chicken one piece at a time, keeping the pieces apart so they don't stick together.
  • Fry until the chicken is golden and crispy, then lift out and drain on paper towels. Let it rest for 2–3 minutes so the crust firms up.
  • Pour the frying oil into a heatproof container, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the wok. Add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant or lightly golden. Give the sauce a stir, pour it into the wok and bring to a gentle simmer until it thickens.
  • Add the fried chicken and toss until every piece is coated. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallion and serve right away with rice.

Notes

Don't skip the orange zest – it carries most of the orange flavor, far more than the juice.
For extra-crispy chicken, let the fried pieces rest for 5–10 minutes, then reheat the oil and fry them again for 1–2 minutes.
A little baking powder in the batter makes the coating lighter and puffier.