Name: Kosher Orange Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American-Chinese
Ingredients: 1/2 tablespoon oil; pinch chili flake; 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced; 1/4 teaspoon ginger, minced; 2 tablespoons white sugar; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons orange juice; 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon water; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, optional; 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190 grams); 1/2 cup cornstarch (65 grams); 1/2 tablespoon salt; 1 egg; 2/3 cup water (155 milliliters); 1 tablespoons oil; 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (455 grams), cut into 1-inch cubes (2.5 centimeters); 3 cups oil, for frying (700 milliliters)

Jump to Recipe

This orange chicken is a kosher at home recipe for Panda Express's orange chicken.

Orange chicken is crispy chicken in a sweet and tangy orange sauce.

A plate of panda express (copycat) orange chicken

I feel a little funny calling this recipe “chinese orange chicken” because it is a really Chinese-American dish.

In fact, this version of orange chicken is almost unknown in China. Like sesame chicken, orange chicken is actually a variation of General Tso's chicken.

Traditional Chinese orange chicken is made with sliced fresh chicken, not the battered and fried like in American “Chinese” restaurants. Also, it is flavored with dried orange or tangerine peel.

This version of orange chicken is claimed to have been developed in a Panda Express in 1987.

Supposedly, Chef Andy Kao was working on developing a new recipe when customers came in, smelled the dish, and ordered it right away.

Serve with white rice or fried rice.

HOW TO STORE CHICKEN

Place cooled chicken in an airtight container or wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

HOW TO FREEZE CHICKEN

Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Place cooled chicken in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag.

Freeze for up to 4-6 months. After that, it is still safe to eat, but the quality begins to degrade.

Recipe SNAFU

The first time I made this recipe the batter came out much too thick. I thought of cutting down the flour by half a cup. Instead, I decided to add a tablespoon of water at a time until I reached the right consistency.

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Yield: 4 servings

Kosher Orange Chicken

This orange chicken is a Panda Express copycat with crispy chicken in a sweet and tangy orange sauce.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Chicken

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
½ cup cornstarch (65 grams)
½ tablespoon salt
1 egg
⅔ cup water (155 milliliters)
1 tablespoons oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (455 grams), cut into 1-inch cubes (2.5 centimeters)
3 cups oil, for frying (700 milliliters)

ORANGE SAUCE

½ tablespoon oil
pinch chili flake
½ tablespoon garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon sesame oil, optional

Instructions

Whisk together salt, cornstarch, and flour in a medium size mixing bowl.
Add the egg, water, and oil until it reaches the consistency of pancake batter. If for some reason it comes out too thick, add a little water at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
Add the chicken to the batter. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Heat oil to 350?F or 175?C. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a little batter into the pan and see if it fries. If it does, the oil is hot enough.
Gently add the chicken, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until lightly golden brown.
Remove the chicken and place on a paper towel lined plate.

Sauce

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add chili flakes, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
Combine cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
Continue to cook until the sauce has a syrup consistency.
Add in the fried chicken and stir until completely coated in the sauce. Top with sesame oil, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 548Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 1237mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 34g