Chinese Takeout Orange Chicken
This Chinese takeout orange chicken recipe includes two complete batter methods and a double-fry technique for maximum crunch. The traditional takeout-style wet batter produces the classic texture, while the Kenji Lopez-Alt method from The Wok uses vodka and egg white for a crust that stays crunchy through saucing and reheating. The orange sauce uses orange extract alongside real orange juice so the citrus flavor doesn't disappear into the sugar and vinegar. The chicken can be frozen after the first fry for quick weeknight meals.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 500kcal
Equipment
- 1 Made-In Carbon Steel Wok for deep-frying
- 1 All-Clad Nonstick Pan for cooking the sauce
- 1 Infrared Thermometer for oil temperature
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack Baking Sheet
- 1 Microplane Grater for grating garlic and ginger
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Hefty Storage Gallon Bags for freezer storage
- 1 Rubbermaid Storage Containers for storing sauce or prepped chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
Traditional Takeout-Style Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp MSG
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup ice cold water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Kenji Lopez-Alt Marinade
- 1 large egg white beaten until frothy
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp vodka
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp MSG
- 1/8 tsp table salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
Kenji Lopez-Alt Dry Dredge
- 3/4 cup cornstarch plus 1 tbsp
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp MSG
- 2-3 tbsp reserved marinade for seeding
Orange Sauce Mixture
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp MSG
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp orange extract
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
Aromatics
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp garlic grated
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tsp sambal oelek chili paste or 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
Cornstarch Slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Finishing
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Slice 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs into roughly 1-inch strips. Turn the strips perpendicular and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
Traditional Takeout-Style Batter
- Add all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, table salt, MSG, and white pepper to a large bowl.
- Add the egg and ice cold water and stir until you reach a pancake batter consistency. If the batter is too thick, add a touch more water.
- Add vegetable oil and stir it into the batter until it's evenly mixed.
- Add the chicken pieces to the batter and stir until all pieces are completely covered. Refrigerate the battered chicken for 30 to 60 minutes before frying.
Kenji Lopez-Alt Marinade
- Add one egg white to a large bowl and whisk it until it's frothy. Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, and vodka.
- Set aside 2-3 tablespoons of the wet mixture for the dredge.
- Add cornstarch, white pepper, MSG, table salt, and baking soda to the remaining liquid and whisk to combine.
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and stir until evenly coated. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 8 hours in the fridge. Stir well before using because the cornstarch will settle to the bottom.
Kenji Lopez-Alt Dry Dredge
- Add cornstarch, all-purpose flour, baking powder, table salt, and MSG to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the reserved 2-3 tablespoons of marinade to the dry ingredients and whisk or crumble it in with your fingers. This is called seeding and will create small clumps that give the crust a craggy, extra-crunchy texture.
- Coat the marinated chicken pieces in the dredge a few at a time, making sure every piece is completely coated in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess.
First Fry
- In a large pot or wok, heat several inches of neutral oil to 325°F for the traditional batter, or 350°F for the Kenji method.
- Working in several small batches, lower the chicken piece by piece into the hot oil. After a few seconds, agitate the chicken so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes, or until it is cooked all the way through. Remove to a wire rack or baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Second Fry
- Allow the chicken to cool slightly and raise the temperature of the oil to 375°F.
- Fry the chicken again for about 2 minutes, or just until the crust has started to brown slightly. The chicken is already cooked through, so this second fry is purely for crispiness.
- Remove the chicken to a wire rack or baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Orange Sauce
- Whisk together the white sugar, brown sugar, MSG, white pepper, distilled white vinegar, orange juice, chicken broth, oyster sauce, orange extract, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce in a small bowl until the sugars and spices are dissolved. Set aside.
- Add neutral oil to a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add the grated garlic, grated ginger, and sambal oelek. Sauté for 20-30 seconds, or just until the aromatics are fragrant.
- Add the Shaoxing cooking wine to the pan, bring it up to a simmer, and let it reduce slightly for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the prepared sauce mixture to the pan and bring it to a simmer. While stirring continuously, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry and bring the sauce back to a simmer. Continue stirring for a minute or two until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. Turn off the heat.
Finish and Serve
- Add the fried chicken to the pan and toss the pieces until they are all evenly coated in the orange sauce.
- Drizzle in 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil and stir it into the sauced chicken. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Two Batter Methods: This recipe includes two complete batter options. The traditional takeout-style wet batter produces the classic coating you'll find at most Chinese takeout restaurants. The Kenji Lopez-Alt method from The Wok uses vodka and egg white to create a crust that stays crunchy even after saucing and reheating. Choose traditional if you're eating immediately. Choose the Kenji method for meal prep or leftovers.
Why Orange Extract: Most orange chicken recipes rely on orange juice for citrus flavor, but OJ loses most of its orange flavor once you cook it into a sauce with sugar and vinegar. Adding 1 teaspoon of orange extract keeps the citrus flavor present in the finished sauce. You can find orange extract on the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
Why Double Fry: The first fry at a lower temperature cooks the chicken through and sets the crust. The second fry at 375°F makes the crust extra crispy. If you only fried at the lower temperature, the chicken would dry out before the crust got crispy. If you only fried at the higher temperature, the crust would burn before the chicken cooked through.
Freezer Method: After the first fry, cool the chicken completely, spread on a baking sheet to flash-freeze for about 1 hour, then transfer to freezer bags. Keeps for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, do the second fry at 375°F directly from frozen for 5-7 minutes instead of 2 minutes. This is the same method takeout kitchens use to serve orange chicken quickly.
Why Vodka in the Kenji Batter: Vodka boils off faster than water and limits how much moisture the starches absorb. This prevents excess gluten development, resulting in a lighter, crispier crust. All of the alcohol cooks off during frying.
Chicken Breast Substitution: Chicken breast will work but dries out faster through the double-fry process. If using breast, the Kenji method is recommended because the egg white marinade helps the meat retain moisture. Cut into the same 1-inch pieces.
Sambal Oelek: This Indonesian chili paste integrates into the sauce more evenly than dried red pepper flakes and adds more complex heat. If you can't find it, substitute 1/4 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes.
Storage: Unsauced fried chicken keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 400°F oven for 8-10 minutes. Sauced orange chicken keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge. The Kenji batter holds its texture better in sauce than the traditional batter. The uncooked sauce mixture keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Calories: 500kcal