Crispy Baked Orange Chicken: Better Than Takeout Flavor
You can make restaurant-quality Orange Chicken at home. This recipe delivers crispy chicken coated in a sticky, tangy orange glaze, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Zest of 1 large orange
- Vegetable oil, for baking sheet
- Cooked rice and sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
- Prepare the chicken coating: In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. In a second shallow dish, place the beaten eggs.
- Dredge the chicken pieces first in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip the floured chicken into the egg, letting any excess drip off. Finally, coat the chicken again in the flour mixture to create a thick crust.
- Arrange the coated chicken pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops of the chicken with vegetable oil spray to help them crisp.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
- While the chicken bakes, prepare the tangy orange glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, honey, minced ginger, minced garlic, orange zest, and sesame oil.
- Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This creates your sticky orange chicken sauce.
- Remove the baked chicken from the oven. Place the crispy chicken pieces into a large bowl. Pour the warm orange glaze over the chicken. Toss gently until all the chicken is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Serve the sticky orange chicken immediately over cooked rice. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, you can lightly spray the chicken again with oil halfway through the baking time.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and whisk it into the simmering sauce during the last minute of cooking.
- This tastes great with steamed broccoli or green beans on the side for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 100mg