Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

Easy Orange Chicken Recipe: Crispy, tangy, and better than takeout! After making this many times, I discovered the trick to the perfect crispy coating. Jump to the recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Salmon Cakes Recipe and Slow Cooker Parmesan Herb Chicken with Creamy Orzo.

What You'll Need for Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• Optional: Green onions, chopped
• Optional: Sesame seeds

How to Make Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

1. Step 1: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss in cornstarch until fully coated.
2. Step 2: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until crispy and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, combine orange juice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
4. Step 4: Add chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Storing & Reheating Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare the sauce up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge and reheat before adding chicken.

Freezing Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes to maintain crispiness. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, then crisp in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier version, add more red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the chicken and sauce separately, then combine and cook when ready to serve.
• Troubleshooting: If chicken is sticking to the pan, add a little more oil or use a non-stick skillet.

Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

20 mins

⏳

Total

35 mins

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Seasonings

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Optional Toppings

• Green onions, chopped
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss in cornstarch until fully coated.
2. Step 2: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until crispy and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, combine orange juice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
4. Step 4: Add chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier version, add more red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the chicken and sauce separately, then combine and cook when ready to serve.
• Troubleshooting: If chicken is sticking to the pan, add a little more oil or use a non-stick skillet.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes to maintain crispiness.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, then crisp in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes.
• Make ahead: Prepare the sauce up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge and reheat before adding chicken.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 420
• Protein: 36g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbs: 38g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 1800mg
• Cholesterol: 95mg
• Sat. Fat: 2g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!