Description
Savor Panda Express hot orange chicken’s bold flavors, blending sweet and spicy notes in a mouthwatering homemade version. Crispy chicken pieces glazed with zesty orange sauce promise a restaurant-quality meal you can easily recreate in your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (for thickening)
Garnish and Serving:
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Trim chicken thighs into bite-sized uniform pieces, ensuring consistent cooking.
- Whisk eggs with salt and black pepper in a medium bowl, creating a seasoned egg wash.
- Pour cornstarch into a separate shallow dish for coating the chicken pieces.
- Dip each chicken piece into egg wash, then thoroughly coat with cornstarch, shaking off excess.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok to 350°F, preparing for crispy frying.
- Carefully place coated chicken pieces into hot oil, frying in batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove chicken and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- For sauce, combine orange juice, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, orange zest, minced garlic, and sriracha in a saucepan.
- Whisk cornstarch with a small amount of sauce mixture to create a smooth slurry, preventing lumps.
- Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and glossy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add crispy chicken to the sauce, gently tossing to coat evenly.
- Transfer coated chicken to serving plate, garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately alongside steamed white rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- Trim chicken uniformly to ensure even cooking and crispy texture throughout each piece.
- Pat chicken dry before coating to help cornstarch adhere better and create extra crunch.
- Control oil temperature precisely with a thermometer for perfectly golden, non-greasy chicken.
- Adjust sauce spiciness by increasing or decreasing sriracha amount based on personal heat preference.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 75 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg