Orange Chicken Version 2 | 橙汁鸡
- Daniel
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
My first orange chicken recipe used chicken wings, and while it was delicious, I wanted something a little quicker and easier to make. After refining my General Tso's Chicken recipe, it suddenly hit me that I already had the perfect base.
Replace part of the sauce with fresh orange juice, add plenty of fresh orange zest, and you've got Orange Chicken. So this became Version 2. It keeps everything I love about the original while being much simpler to put together.
Orange Chicken is one of those dishes that's become synonymous with Chinese-American cuisine. Although it isn't a traditional Chinese dish, it was inspired by flavors from Hunan cuisine before evolving into the sweet, citrusy version many people know today. Restaurants all have their own take, but they all revolve around the same idea: crispy fried chicken coated in a glossy orange-flavored sauce.
If you've ever wondered why Orange Chicken and General Tso's Chicken taste similar, it's because they share many of the same building blocks. The biggest difference is the addition of fresh orange juice and orange zest.
I'll probably get into trouble for saying this, but Orange Chicken is basically General Tso's Chicken that went on a holiday to Florida. Fresh orange juice gives it brightness, while the zest adds a wonderful citrus aroma that bottled juice simply can't match.
If you already have a batch of my General Tso's sauce in the fridge, you're halfway there. This is one of those recipes that feels much more impressive than the amount of work it actually takes.
Ingredients:
(Serve 4)
Chicken:
Chicken Breast Diced, 1
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Garlic Powder, 1/2 TBSP
ShaoXing / HuaTiao / Sherry Wine, 2 TBSP
Egg, 1
Baking Soda, Pinch
Sauce:
General Tso's Sauce Homemade, 175g
Fresh Orange Juice, 175g
Orange Chicken:
Corn Starch, 3 TBSP
Sesame Oil, 2 TBSP
Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 1 TBSP + More For Frying and Cooking
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Scallions (White Parts) Coarsely Sliced, A Handful
Slurry, 1 TBSP Potato Starch + 1 TBSP Water
Toasted Sesame Oil, 1 TBSP
Fresh Orange Zest, 1 Orange
Scallions (Green Parts) Coarsely Sliced, A Handful
Equipment:
Dutch Oven / Wok / Skillet
Directions:
Please visit my "General Tso's Chicken" page for the sauce recipe.
Marinate the Chicken
Combine the diced chicken with salt, white pepper, garlic powder, Shaoxing wine, egg, and baking soda.
Mix thoroughly until every piece is coated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Prepare the Orange Sauce
Mix the prepared General Tso's sauce with the fresh orange juice.
Stir until fully combined and set aside.
Coat the Chicken
Add the cornstarch to the marinated chicken.
Mix until no dry starch remains.
Add the sesame oil and mix again until evenly coated.
Fry the Chicken
Heat about 3 to 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or wok over medium heat.
Test the oil with a wooden chopstick. If bubbles form around it, the oil is ready.
Carefully add the chicken pieces into the oil.
If desired, drizzle any remaining coating into the oil to create crispy bits.
Fry until lightly golden.
Remove and drain.
Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes.
Increase the heat slightly and fry the chicken a second time until crispy and deeply golden.
Drain well.
Finish the Dish
Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat.
Add a little oil.
Cook the garlic and white parts of some scallions until fragrant.
Pour in the orange sauce and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Add the slurry and stir until the sauce thickens.
Add the fried chicken.
Toss until every piece is evenly coated.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Turn off the heat.
Finish with toasted sesame oil.
Transfer to a serving plate.
Garnish with fresh orange zest and green parts of some scallions.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Tips
Chicken Thigh Is Even Better
Although chicken breast works perfectly well, boneless chicken thigh with the skin left on produces a juicier and more flavorful Orange Chicken.
Fresh Orange Zest Makes A Huge Difference
If you want to take this recipe one step further, sauté the zest of about three oranges over medium-low heat before adding the sauce.
This releases the natural citrus oils and gives the sauce an even deeper orange aroma.
Keep the heat gentle because orange zest burns very quickly.
Don't Skip The Double Fry
The first fry cooks the chicken.
The second fry creates the crispy coating that holds up beautifully once coated in sauce.
General Tso's Sauce Is The Secret
Keeping a batch of homemade General Tso's sauce in the fridge means you're already halfway to making Orange Chicken whenever the craving hits.
Orange Chicken is basically General Tso's Chicken with orange juice. Please don't tell Panda Express.
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