Baked Orange Chicken Recipe
When it comes to Asian cuisine, orange chicken is one of the most popular items. If orange chicken is your go-to takeout choice, then you better keep reading because we have the perfect recipe for you. While orange chicken is yummy in every capacity, it can be pretty unhealthy since it's usually fried in oil. This recipe provides a healthier twist on the classic Asian favorite because you bake the chicken in the oven instead of frying it in a pan. And guess what? It tastes just as good.
Recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating came up with this tasty dish that would be great for your next night in. "I love the combo of sweet and savory flavors in this dish. The crispy, sticky chicken is so moreish, and it's much easier to make than you'd think," Brookes raves. When asked what she likes to make it for, Brookes shares that it would be good "for a weekend dinner or if you're craving takeaway-style food!"
Keep reading to find out how to make this sweet and savory chicken.
Gather the ingredients for baked orange chicken
We're glad you've decided to come along with us to make this fantastic orange chicken. We'll start with the list of ingredients you'll need to get from the store. Begin with 4 chicken breasts and 2 eggs. Next, pick up all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper when you're in the baking aisle. As with many Asian recipes, you'll also need sesame oil and garlic.
Be sure to grab fresh ginger, rice vinegar, and cornstarch. The recipe also calls for orange juice and orange marmalade. Then, thow some soy sauce, chili flakes, and brown sugar in your cart. As optional toppings, you can grab spring onions and sesame seeds, too.
Preheat the oven and mix the flour, salt, and pepper
Now that you've gotten your grocery shopping out of the way, it's time to get started on this recipe. The first thing you need to do is turn the dial of your oven to 400 F. This way, it has time to get nice and hot while you prep the chicken.
In the meantime, grab a baking sheet and line it with foil. Use cooking spray to gently spray the foil, so nothing sticks. Next, take out a bowl and add the flour, salt, and pepper. Mix together to combine.
Coat the chicken
Grab the chicken from the fridge. As a reminder, you should have diced it ahead of time. When asked what size the chicken pieces should be, Brookes suggests about 1-inch thick, with excess fatty pieces removed.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them until combined. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, followed by the flour mixture, making sure to coat each piece well.
Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the same steps until you've used up all the chicken. Then, pop the pan into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Be sure to turn the chicken over about halfway through the cooking time.
Start making the sauce
It's time to make the orange sauce! Take out a large frying pan and add the sesame oil. Place the pan on your stove and crank the heat up to medium. Next, add the garlic and the ginger and fry the two together with the oil for about a minute. Be sure to continually stir the ingredients so they don't burn.
In another bowl, add the corn starch and rice vinegar. Mix together until there are no lumps. Add this mixture to the pan along with all the remaining ingredients.
Finish the sauce and coat the chicken
Stir all of the ingredients well and let everything cook for about 5 minutes. Be sure to stir the mixture frequently, and cook until the marmalade has melted down and the sauce has thickened. "There's loads of zesty orange flavor with a good balance of sweet and sour," Brookes shares.
Once the chicken finishes baking, take it out of the oven and dump it right into the sauce. Give the chicken a few good stirs to coat each piece with this yummy orange sauce. It shouldn't take more than a few seconds to mix the chicken and sauce.
Serve and enjoy
Once you finish coating the chicken with the sauce, you're ready to plate and serve. This orange chicken would be great served over a bed of rice. For garnish, feel free to add some spring onions and sesame seeds. Brookes also notes that the dish would be good "with noodles." We think adding veggies to the mix may be a fun option as well.
If you have any leftovers, be sure to keep them for another meal. "Leftovers will keep in the fridge up to 2 days, but the chicken will lose its crispiness a little," Brookes says.
- 4 chicken breast fillets, diced
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¾ cup orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- chopped spring onions
- sesame seeds
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray.
- Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the beaten egg, then into the flour, coating it well. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Bake for 25 minutes, turning the chicken pieces about halfway through cooking.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan on medium.
- Add the garlic and ginger and fry for about a minute, stirring constantly.
- Mix the corn starch and rice vinegar in a small bowl until there are no lumps. Add this to the pan, along with all the remaining ingredients.
- Let everything cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the marmalade has melted and the sauce has thickened.
- Once the chicken is baked, add it to the sauce and stir well to coat.
- Serve the orange chicken with rice, spring onions, and sesame seeds (if desired).
| Calories per Serving | 715 |
| Total Fat | 20.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5.7 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 191.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 86.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.9 g |
| Total Sugars | 44.2 g |
| Sodium | 687.8 mg |
| Protein | 44.6 g |
