Orange Chicken with Crisp Double-Fried Chicken and Fresh Orange Sauce
By Sophia Reed
This 40-minute orange chicken uses a thin batter and a quick stovetop sauce for a workable takeout-style dinner. Chicken thighs fry golden and crisp, then get coated in a thick orange sauce with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice wine vinegar before serving.
The batter combines cornstarch and flour with egg white, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and water. That cornstarch-and-flour mix is meant to create a lighter, crumbly crunch around the chicken. Fresh orange juice gives the sauce its citrus base, while brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, shaoxing wine, ginger, and garlic build the sweet-savory seasoning.
The first fry cooks the chicken through at 330-340 F, and the optional second fry at about 375 F browns it more deeply. Letting the chicken rest on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes helps before the second fry. The main problem is crowding the frying pan, which drops the oil temperature and can leave the coating soggy instead of crisp.
Serve the chicken right after tossing so the coating stays at its crispest. Jasmine rice, fried rice, and steamed or stir-fried carrots, celery, broccoli, or mushrooms all work alongside it. Leftovers can be rewarmed, though the coating will not be as crisp as it was when freshly fried.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fits into a 40-minute dinner plan because the orange sauce simmers and thickens quickly after the chicken has finished frying.
- Uses familiar Asian pantry staples, including soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar, rather than relying on a bottled sauce.
- Keeps prep direct because the chicken goes into one thin batter instead of needing separate breading stations or special equipment.
- Offers a crispier result with the optional second fry, which removes excess moisture after the first fry has cooked the chicken through.
- Scales easily for a crowd because the source specifically allows doubling or tripling the ingredients, including extra sauce for a saucier batch.
- Works with several serving options because the thick orange sauce can coat rice, vegetables, pasta, or noodles alongside the fried chicken.
Ingredients
- •350 g chicken thighs (350-450 g, cut into bite-sized pieces; boneless chicken breasts may also be used)
- •0.5 cup cornstarch
- •2 tbsp flour
- •1 tbsp soy sauce
- •1 egg white
- •1 tsp sesame oil
- •0.25 tsp ground white pepper (black pepper may be substituted)
- •0.33 cup water
- •0.75 cup fresh orange juice (store-bought also works; avoid too much added sugar)
- •4 tbsp brown sugar (4-6 tbsp, according to preference; white sugar or honey may be substituted)
- •2 tbsp soy sauce
- •1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (white vinegar may be substituted)
- •1 tbsp shaoxing wine (may be omitted or substituted with sake or cooking wine)
- •0.5 tsp ginger (grated; 1/8 tsp ginger powder may be substituted)
- •1 clove garlic (grated; 1/4 tsp garlic powder may be substituted)
- •1 tbsp cornstarch (for slurry)
- •2 tbsp cold water (for dissolving cornstarch slurry)
- •toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
- •green onions (thinly chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Combine all batter ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth and thin, like paint; add water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
- 2
Add the chicken and gently mix until every piece is well coated in batter.
- 3
Heat oil to about 330-340 F and deep-fry the battered chicken for 5-7 minutes, until fully cooked through and golden; set aside on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
- 4
For the optional second fry, raise the oil to about 375 F and fry the chicken for 30-60 seconds, watching carefully to prevent burning; set aside on a wire rack.
- 5
Mix together all orange sauce ingredients, pour into a large pan or wok, and simmer over medium heat for about 1 minute to dissolve the sugar.
- 6
Stir constantly while pouring in the cornstarch slurry, then simmer for 30-60 seconds until the sauce thickens.
- 7
Add the fried chicken to the thickened sauce and toss quickly to coat each piece.
- 8
Top with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, then serve immediately.
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