Crispy Orange Chicken (Better Than Takeout)

Generated guide based on video: Watch on YouTube

Summary: This guide teaches you how to prepare and cook crispy orange chicken at home, complete with a flavorful sauce and served with rice. Follow these steps to achieve a delicious homemade dish that rivals takeout.

Materials Needed

  • rice
  • water
  • chicken thighs
  • flour
  • cornstarch
  • salt
  • egg
  • vegetable oil
  • MSG (optional)
  • oil for frying
  • garlic
  • ginger
  • red pepper flakes
  • orange or tangerine juice
  • light brown sugar
  • white pepper
  • rice vinegar
  • orange zest
  • cornstarch slurry
  • green onions

Outcome: A plate of crispy orange chicken served with rice and a flavorful sauce.

Steps

Step 1: Cook the rice

Start the rice cooker with rice and water measured by finger method.

Shows the process of measuring water with a finger and starting the rice cooker.

Shows the process of measuring water with a finger and starting the rice cooker.

Step 2: Prepare the chicken

Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, trimming excess fat.

Demonstrates cutting chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Demonstrates cutting chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Step 3: Make the dry dredge

Mix flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl.

Shows adding flour, cornstarch, and salt to a bowl.

Shows adding flour, cornstarch, and salt to a bowl.

Step 4: Make the wet dredge

Combine egg, vegetable oil, MSG (optional), and salt in a bowl.

Shows the process of combining ingredients for the wet dredge.

Shows the process of combining ingredients for the wet dredge.

Step 5: Coat the chicken

Massage diced chicken in wet dredge, then coat in dry dredge.

Demonstrates massaging chicken in wet dredge and coating in dry dredge.

Demonstrates massaging chicken in wet dredge and coating in dry dredge.

Step 6: Heat the oil

Fill fry pan with oil and heat to 350°F.

Shows oil being heated in a pan to the correct temperature.

Shows oil being heated in a pan to the correct temperature.

Step 7: Fry the chicken

Fry chicken in batches until golden brown, then drain on a wire rack.

Shows chicken being fried to a golden brown color.

Shows chicken being fried to a golden brown color.

Step 8: Prepare the sauce

Sauté garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in oil, then add juice, sugar, pepper, vinegar, and orange zest.

Shows sautéing garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.

Shows sautéing garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.

Step 9: Thicken the sauce

Add cornstarch slurry to sauce and heat until thickened.

Shows adding cornstarch slurry to the sauce and thickening it.

Shows adding cornstarch slurry to the sauce and thickening it.

Step 10: Combine chicken and sauce

Toss fried chicken in the sauce quickly.

Shows tossing the fried chicken in the prepared sauce.

Shows tossing the fried chicken in the prepared sauce.

Step 11: Plate the dish

Serve chicken over rice, garnish with orange zest and green onions.

Shows the final plating of the dish with garnishes.

Shows the final plating of the dish with garnishes.