If you are looking for a delicious, easy-to-make Asian recipe, you may be wondering how to make the orange chicken sauce. It is a delicious way to add a bright orange flavor to your meals. You can prepare this sauce in just a few easy steps. The first step is to prepare the sauce. You need to add some orange juice and some sesame oil.
Next, you will need a bit of sugar to boost the orange flavor. You will also need vinegar, either white or rice. Be sure to add enough water so that the sauce does not get too thick. Also, you should add a pinch of crushed red pepper and minced ginger. At the end of the process, you should add some cornstarch. Mix it with cold water until it thickens.
It is one of the easiest to prepare at home. You only need a few simple ingredients, and you can enjoy this delicious meal for the rest of your family. This delicious chicken recipe is a great way to celebrate world cuisines. The flavors are tangy and sweet, with heat for a bit of a kick. The sauce is best enjoyed with a warm bowl of rice.
What is Orange Chicken Sauce Made of?
The orange sauce is traditionally created with fresh orange juice and other ingredients such as sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar for tang, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. A thickening, such as cornstarch or arrowroot, is also used. It’s a sauce often linked with Panda Express’s orange chicken, a Chinese-American meal. While it is popular in the United States, it is rarely served in Chinese restaurants in China.
Leftover orange chicken can be frozen for up to three days. Before reheating, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. If you aren’t going to use it right away, reheat it in the oven over low heat. You may also keep it in the freezer for up to three months. If you have leftover orange chicken, defrost it completely before eating it to keep the crispiness. It’s preferable if you eat it within three days of receiving it.
How to Make Orange Chicken Sauce?
Here is the recipe for making the orange chicken sauce:
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
Crispy Chicken Ingredients
- 3-4 Chicken Breasts We used 3
- 1 Cup Flour/1 Cup Cornstarch You can use both or either/or
- 2 Eggs
- Oil We used vegetable oil
Instruction
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In a saucepan, add the BBQ sauce, marmalade, and soy sauce. Turn the heat on low and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring a few times.
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Meanwhile, cut up your chicken breasts into cubes. In one bowl, beat two eggs, while in the other bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
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Dip chicken pieces in the egg and then cover in flour/cornstarch. Set on an extra plate.
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Add a thin layer of oil to a frying pan and turn your stove on medium/high heat. Once it sizzles, add the chicken to the pan. Let it cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until it’s brown and cooked on the inside.
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Set the oily pieces on a paper towel and let drain.
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Add the chicken to the sauce and toss!
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Eat it on top of white rice and enjoy. I think veggies would be good with it, such as green peppers or broccoli.
Uses for Orange Chicken Sauce
You can toss it with cooked chicken, beef, shrimp, or roasted cauliflower or drizzle it on top of rice or cooked vegetables. You can also use it as a stir fry sauce! Here’s how to use it in a stir fry:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 pound of protein (thinly sliced beef, cubed chicken breast or thighs, or peeled and deveined shrimp) and cook until browned and just cooked through. Remove the protein from the pan and transfer it to a clean plate.
- Add one more tablespoon of oil and 4-5 cups of raw cut-up vegetables to the pan. I like to do freshly diced onion, broccoli florets, sliced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, chopped asparagus, or snow peas. Stir fry until crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes.
- Return the protein to the pan and add the sauce (about ¾ to 1 cup). Stir until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.
Can I Make Substitutions?
Here are a few swaps you can make:
- Coconut aminos: The best coconut aminos substitute is soy sauce! Coconut aminos, derived from coconut palm sap, are gluten-free, soy-free, and tasty. If you swap this for soy sauce, using3 tablespoons of soy sauce and one tablespoon of filtered water in place of the ¼ cup of coconut aminos since soy sauce has more sodium.
- Coconut sugar: Use brown sugar or any other granulated sugar.
- Arrowroot flour: This can be swapped easily for corn starch as a thickener.
What does Orange Chicken Sauce Taste Like?
The sweet-and-sour flavor of the orange sauce is well-known in Chinese takeaway cuisine. This sauce is similar to the sweet and sour sauce, however, instead of pineapple juice, it simply uses orange juice. It works with chicken, beef, and cauliflower.
You may make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to a week! If you’re not going to use the sauce right away, put it in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for two weeks. To freeze the sauce, place it in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
Conclusion
The orange chicken sauce recipe is orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fresh ginger, minced garlic, red chili flakes, water, cornstarch, and orange zest. This recipe is fantastic since it uses fresh ingredients and is ready in minutes. You don’t have to worry about overcooking, so you can eat it right away. You may prepare it yourself with minimum effort by using chicken breasts or dark meat. Eggs and cornstarch, or even flour, can be used.
Orange sauce can also marinate other meals. When you make your orange chicken sauce, your chicken will taste exactly like the Chinese takeout version. To enhance the flavor of the chicken, add some orange zest after it has been cooked. Cornstarch and water thicken orange chicken sauce.
After cooking, add orange slices to the sauce. You’re ready to serve your visitors once the orange sauce has thickened. Lunch can be made using leftover orange chicken. If you’re curious about how to prepare the orange chicken sauce, keep reading!
