Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

My Favorite Homemade Orange Chicken Recipe!

I love this easy orange chicken recipe for the usual reasons: it’s super delicious, simple, and fast! Frozen breaded chicken is a nice shortcut and the flavorful, homemade sauce is easy and quick to make.

This recipe is so delicious that the whole family will love it! Just thinking about that sweet and spicy orange sauce is making my mouth water!

Use Frozen Breaded Chicken to Save Time

The frozen breaded chicken is such a handy shortcut for this kind of recipe! I usually use Tyson Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Tenderloins because it goes on sale every once in a while at Costco and it is delicious (it’s also great for a quick chicken parmesan). But any breaded chicken should work.

To get the chicken extra crispy, try baking it on a wire grid cooling rack placed in a baking sheet. Then follow the cooking instructions on the chicken packaging for baking temperature and time.

How Many Oranges Will You Need?

I usually use 2 fresh oranges for this recipe. You will get enough orange zest from one orange, but probably not enough juice. So juice a second orange or use bottled fresh-squeezed orange juice to make up the difference.

Making the Homemade Orange Chicken Sauce

The orange sauce is amazing! Full of flavor – orange, a little sweet, and with some Asian flare. The best part is you can make it from scratch in less than 10 minutes!

If you prefer more spice, you can try leaving out the cayenne pepper and adding about 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes instead.

For the ginger, use fresh ginger grated or the ginger paste that can be found in most grocery stores near the fresh herbs. Both options are great! I like the paste because there is no grating necessary and it is so incredibly easy to use.

Final Thoughts and Serving Tips

Hope you give this homemade orange chicken recipe a try and love it too! Note that nutrition info and cooking time will vary depending on the breaded chicken that you use.

I recommend serving this recipe over a hot bowl of rice with some green onion for added flavor. For sides, some steamed veggies or a salad would be delicious. Enjoy!

More 30-Minute Meal Ideas:

• Low Carb Sausage Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe
• Blackened Chicken with Avocado Cream Sauce Recipe
• Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos Recipe

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Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

This orange chicken recipe is super easy and delicious! Quick homemade sauce and frozen breaded chicken make it an easy weeknight meal, but delicious enough for guests too.

4.91 / 5 ( 10 Reviews )

Print Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Serves: 4

Adjust Servings: 4

US CustomaryMetric

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds frozen breaded chicken breast tenders
• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• ¾ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ⅓ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or ginger paste
• 5 teaspoons cornstarch
• pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Cook the chicken according to package instructions.
• Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients in a 12-inch skillet. Simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
• Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and toss with sauce. Serve with cooked rice, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 523kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 26g | Sodium: 674mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g

Recipe Adapted From: America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook