Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken is crispy, tangy, and ready in just 30 minutes. After making this many times, I discovered the trick to a 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 Kale and Apple Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Creamy Honey Lavender Ice Cream Recipe for Easy Dessert.

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
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Vegetable oil
• Optional: Green onions, chopped
• Optional: Sesame seeds

How to Make Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

1. Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
4. Simmer the sauce: In the same skillet, add the sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
5. Combine and serve: Add the 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 in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare the sauce up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Freezing Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a healthier version, use chicken thighs instead of breasts and omit the sugar.
• Best substitution: Substitute chicken with tofu or tempeh for a vegetarian version.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the chicken and sauce separately up to 1 day ahead. Cook and combine before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved.
• Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little water.

Better Than Takeout Orange Chicken

⏱

Prep

15 minutes

🍳

Cook

15 minutes

⏳

Total

30 minutes

🍽

Serves

4 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Seasonings

• Salt
• Black pepper
• Vegetable oil

Optional Toppings

• Green onions, chopped
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
4. Simmer the sauce: In the same skillet, add the sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
5. Combine and serve: Add the 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 healthier version, use chicken thighs instead of breasts and omit the sugar.
• Best substitution: Substitute chicken with tofu or tempeh for a vegetarian version.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the chicken and sauce separately up to 1 day ahead. Cook and combine before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved.
• Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little water.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
• Make ahead: Prepare the sauce up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 35g
• Fat: 10g
• Carbs: 25g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Cholesterol: 90mg
• Sat. Fat: 1.5g

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!