Chinese Orange Chicken Recipe (with Orange Juice)

Chinese orange chicken is crispy, bite-size chicken tossed in a sticky, sweet, and tangy orange sauce made with real orange juice. The strong orange flavor starts in the freezer aisle, and I’ll show you why below.

More takeout-style dinners: my Mongolian Beef and Instant Pot Korean Beef and Rice.

What Is Chinese Orange Chicken?

Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish: pieces of fried chicken coated in a sweet, tangy orange sauce.

When my dad worked at the airport, he loved going to Panda Express for lunch. He got the same thing every time: half noodles, half rice, and a good load of orange chicken. Slightly spicy, tangy, and full of orange flavor, it was a party on a plate.

Who Invented Orange Chicken?

Chef Andy Kao created orange chicken for Panda Express in 1987, at a restaurant in Hawaii. It became the chain’s best-known dish and spread to Chinese takeout menus all over the US.

Is Orange Chicken Chinese?

It’s Chinese American. The idea comes from Hunan-style dishes made with dried orange or tangerine peel, but the sweet, saucy orange chicken most of us know was created in the US.

Ingredients for Orange Chicken

Chicken, a simple coating, and a sauce made from pantry staples and orange juice. Amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom.

Crispy Orange Chicken

• Chicken breast: boneless and skinless. Breast meat is lean, so the quick fry keeps it tender. Boneless, skinless thighs work too and stay even juicier.
• Cornstarch: it fries into a thin, crisp crust that holds onto the sauce. Potato starch works the same way.
• Eggs: large. The egg is the glue that keeps the cornstarch on the chicken.
• Oil: a neutral oil that handles high heat, like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. Extra-virgin olive oil smokes at frying temperature.
• Sesame seeds and green onions: for the top. Toasted sesame seeds add a nutty crunch.

Orange Chicken Sauce

• Orange juice concentrate: the frozen kind, thawed. It has much more orange flavor than regular juice, which is why I use it. Fresh-squeezed orange juice works too, and the card shows the swap.
  
  Which orange juice is best for orange chicken?

  Frozen orange juice concentrate gives the strongest orange flavor, because most of the water has been taken out. Fresh-squeezed juice is next and tastes a little brighter. Bottled juice works in a pinch, but the sauce comes out milder. Whichever you use, pick 100% juice with no added sugar, since the sauce already has sugar in it.
• Chicken broth: low-sodium, so the soy sauce sets the saltiness. It gives the sauce a savory base under all that orange.
• Sugar: granulated. It balances the vinegar and gives the sauce its glossy, sticky finish.
• Distilled white vinegar: the tang. Rice vinegar is milder and works too.
• Soy sauce: salt and savory depth. Use tamari to make the sauce gluten-free.
• Garlic: fresh cloves give the best flavor.
• Sriracha: a little heat. Add more for a spicier sauce, or leave it out for kids.
• Ground ginger and white pepper: warm spice in the background. White pepper is milder than black and doesn’t leave dark specks in the sauce.
• Kosher salt: I use Morton, and the amount in the card is measured for it.
• Orange zest: optional, and I usually skip it. It adds a fresher orange smell.
• Cornstarch and water: this thickens the sauce, but only once it comes to a boil. Boil it too long, and it thins back out.

How to Make Orange Chicken

Step-by-step, with photos. Mix the sauce, marinate the chicken, then fry and toss. This recipe started from Damn Delicious’s Chinese orange chicken, and I swapped in orange juice concentrate for a stronger orange flavor.

How to Make the Orange Chicken Sauce

You’ll mix one big bowl of sauce. A little of it marinates the chicken, and the rest gets cooked into the glaze.

1. Mix the orange sauce – in a large bowl, whisk the chicken broth, orange juice concentrate, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, Sriracha, ginger, white pepper, and kosher salt until the sugar and salt dissolve.
   

   

2. Marinate the chicken – put the cubed chicken in a gallon zip-top bag and pour in some of the sauce (the card has the amount). Seal it and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, turning the bag a few times. Set the rest of the sauce aside for the glaze.
   
   Can I marinate it longer?

   Up to 4 hours in the fridge is fine. Much longer than that, and the vinegar and orange juice start to make the outside of the chicken soft and mushy.

   

3. Thicken the orange sauce – in a saucepan, stir the water and cornstarch until no lumps are left. Whisk in the sauce you set aside and bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Cook until it’s thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes after it starts boiling. Don’t boil it longer – cornstarch thins back out if it boils too long. Take it off the heat, stir in the orange zest if you’re using it, and keep the sauce warm.
   
   My sauce is too thin.

   It either didn’t boil long enough to thicken, or it boiled too long and broke down. Stir a little more cornstarch into cold water, whisk it in, and boil for 1 minute. The card notes have the amounts. Too thick? Whisk in a splash of chicken broth.

   

How to Fry the Orange Chicken

The chicken gets an egg dip and a cornstarch coat, then a shallow fry in a saucepan, so you don’t need a deep fryer.

1. Drain the chicken – pour it into a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and let it drip well. Throw out the used marinade – it touched raw chicken.
   

   

2. Set up the coating – whisk the eggs in one bowl and put the cornstarch in a second, larger bowl.
3. Heat the oil – heat the oil in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat to 350°F (175°C). Check it with an instant-read thermometer. A splatter guard around the pan keeps your stove a lot cleaner.
   
   No thermometer?

   Drop in one coated piece of chicken. It should sizzle right away, with lots of small bubbles around it. If it sinks and doesn’t bubble, the oil isn’t hot enough yet.
4. Dip and coat – dip each piece of chicken in the egg, then roll it in the cornstarch and press so the coating sticks. Shake off the extra, so loose cornstarch doesn’t fall into the oil and burn.
   

   

5. Fry in small batches – fry the chicken in 2 or 3 batches, turning halfway, until deep golden, 4 to 5 minutes, OR until the biggest piece reads 165°F (74°C). Don’t crowd the pan – too many pieces cool the oil, and the coating turns greasy instead of crisp. Lift the chicken out with a spider strainer onto a cooling rack, and let the oil heat back up to 350°F (175°C) before the next batch.
   
   Why a rack instead of paper towels?

   Chicken sitting on paper towels steams on the bottom and goes soft. On a rack, air gets underneath, so every side stays crisp until it meets the sauce.
   My coating fell off.

   Usually the chicken was still wet, or the oil wasn’t hot enough when it went in. Let the chicken drain well, press the cornstarch on firmly, and wait for 350°F (175°C) before the first piece goes in.

   

How to Toss the Orange Chicken

This part takes a minute, so do it right before everyone sits down.

1. Toss in the sauce – put the fried chicken in a large bowl, pour the warm orange sauce over it, and toss to coat. The coating softens the longer it sits in the sauce, so toss it right before serving.
   

   

2. Garnish and serve – sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, and serve right away.

Marina’s Pro Tips for theBest Orange Chicken

What I keep in mind every time I make orange chicken.

• Use orange juice concentrate. Regular juice is mostly water, so the sauce comes out milder. Concentrate makes it taste like oranges.
• Keep the glaze separate from the marinade. The marinade touched raw chicken, so it never goes into the sauce you serve. Set the glaze aside before the chicken goes in the bag.
• Stop boiling the orange sauce once it thickens. Cornstarch thins back out if it boils too long, so take it off the heat 2 to 3 minutes after it bubbles.
• Shake the extra cornstarch off the chicken. Loose cornstarch falls into the oil and burns, and the chicken picks up dark specks.
• Keep the oil at 350°F (175°C). Too cool, and the coating soaks up oil. Let it heat back up between batches.
• Sauce the orange chicken last. The coating softens the longer it sits in the sauce. For a party, keep the chicken and sauce separate and toss right before serving.

What to Serve With Orange Chicken

Serve it the way my dad ordered it, with half rice and half noodles, or pick a side below.

• Rice – plain white rice or my Perfect Rice soaks up the extra sauce. Instant Pot Brown Rice works too.
• Fried rice – my Simple Fried Rice turns it into a full takeout plate.
• Noodles – lo mein or plain buttered noodles, the way my dad liked it.
• Vegetables – steamed broccoli, carrots, or zucchini, or a cold side like Spicy Korean Carrots or Cucumber Salad.

How to Make Orange Chicken Ahead

The orange sauce keeps up to 3 days in a covered jar in the fridge. Give it a good stir before you thicken it. The chicken can be cut the night before and marinated 30 minutes to 4 hours before you cook, so dinner night is just frying and tossing.

Here’s what to check when orange chicken doesn’t turn out, plus the questions I get most.

More Takeout-Style Dinners

Four more saucy dinners to make at home. For more chicken, try my Stuffed Chicken Marsala or Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Chicken.

Mongolian Beef

Tender beef in a sweet and savory sauce with lots of green onions. →

Korean Beef and Rice

Saucy Korean-style beef and rice, all made in the Instant Pot. →

Honey Glazed Salmon

Salmon with a sticky honey, garlic, and ginger glaze. →

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Crunchy lettuce cups filled with chicken and a creamy peanut sauce. →

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Chinese Orange Chicken Recipe (with Orange Juice)

5 from 1 vote

Crispy Chinese orange chicken tossed in a sticky, tangy sauce made with real orange juice. Takeout-style orange chicken, made at home.

Course: Main Entree

Cuisine: asian

Keyword: orange chicken

Calories: 352 kcal

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

Crispy Orange Chicken

• 1½ lb (680 g) chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup (128 g) cornstarch for coating
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (240 ml) neutral oil canola, vegetable or peanut, for frying
• 1 Tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• 2 green onions thinly sliced, for garnish

Orange Chicken Sauce

• 1½ cups (360 ml) low-sodium chicken broth use 1 cup with fresh juice (Note 1)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice concentrate frozen, thawed (Note 1)
• ½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice only if not using the concentrate (Note 1)
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Sriracha or more, to taste
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt Morton
• 1 Tbsp orange zest optional (Note 2)
• 2 Tbsp (16 g) cornstarch for thickening
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) cold water

Equipment: The pans and tools I use are in my Amazon shop.

Instructions

How to Make the Orange Chicken Sauce

1. Mix the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, ¼ cup orange juice concentrate, ½ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup distilled white vinegar, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp Sriracha, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground white pepper and 1 tsp kosher salt until the sugar and salt dissolve (Note 1).

2. Marinate. Put 1½ lb chicken breast in a gallon zip-top bag with ⅔ cup of the sauce. Seal and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, turning the bag a few times. Set the rest of the sauce aside (Note 3).

3. Thicken the sauce. In a saucepan, stir 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 2 Tbsp cold water until smooth. Whisk in the reserved sauce and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Cook 2 to 3 minutes after it boils, until thick and glossy - don't boil longer. Off the heat, stir in 1 Tbsp orange zest if using. Keep warm (Note 4).

How to Fry the Orange Chicken

1. Drain. Drain the chicken in a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the marinade.

2. Set up the coating. Whisk 2 large eggs in a bowl. Put 1 cup cornstarch in a second, larger bowl.

3. Heat the oil. Heat 1 cup neutral oil in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat to 350°F (175°C), checked with an instant-read thermometer (Note 5).

4. Dip and coat. Dip each piece in the egg, then press it into the cornstarch. Shake off the extra.

5. Fry in batches. Fry in 2 or 3 batches, turning halfway, 4 to 5 minutes, until deep golden, OR until the biggest piece reads 165°F (74°C). Don't crowd the pan. Lift out with a spider strainer onto a cooling rack (Note 6).

How to Toss the Orange Chicken

1. Toss. Put the chicken in a large bowl, pour the warm sauce over it and toss to coat, right before serving (Note 7).

2. Garnish and serve. Top with 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds and 2 green onions. Serve right away.

Recipe Notes

1. Orange juice: use EITHER the ¼ cup orange juice concentrate with 1½ cups chicken broth (what I use, and the strongest orange flavor) OR ½ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice with 1 cup chicken broth. Don't use both.

2. Orange zest: optional. Stir it in after the sauce comes off the heat, so it smells fresh.

3. Marinating: marinate 30 minutes to 4 hours in the fridge. Longer, and the vinegar and juice make the outside of the chicken mushy. Always throw out the used marinade.

4. Sauce thickness: cornstarch thickens only once the sauce boils, and it thins back out if it boils too long. Too thin? Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 Tbsp cold water, whisk it in and boil 1 minute. Too thick? Whisk in a splash of chicken broth.

5. Oil temperature: keep the oil at 350°F (175°C) and let it heat back up between batches. No thermometer? A coated piece should sizzle right away when it goes in. A splatter guard keeps the stove clean.

6. Doneness: the chicken is done at 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece. Cool fried chicken on a rack, not paper towels, so the bottoms stay crisp.

7. Crispy coating: the coating softens the longer it sits in the sauce. Toss right before serving, or keep the chicken and sauce separate for a party.

8. Make ahead: mix the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Stir before thickening.

9. Storage: airtight in the fridge up to 3 days, or frozen up to 2 months. Reheat in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 4 to 6 minutes, or in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes, until hot (165°F / 74°C).

10. Gluten-free: use tamari instead of soy sauce, and check that your chicken broth is gluten-free.

Nutrition Facts

Chinese Orange Chicken Recipe (with Orange Juice)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 352 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 127mg42%

Sodium 1319mg57%

Potassium 514mg15%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 135IU3%

Vitamin C 8.1mg10%

Calcium 36mg4%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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I first shared this orange chicken in 2014, inspired by my dad’s favorite Panda Express order. In October 2026 I rewrote the post with clearer step-by-step instructions, a section on what orange chicken is, tips for a crispy coating, make-ahead and storage notes, an FAQ, and a recipe card with both US and metric measurements.