Crispy Orange Chicken Citrus Sauce (Printable Version)

Tender fried chicken tossed in sweet citrus glaze with aromatic ginger and garlic

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Marinade

02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
04 - 1 egg white
05 - 3 tablespoons cornstarch

→ Sauce

06 - 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 3 tablespoons sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
12 - Zest of 1 orange
13 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ For Frying

14 - 4.2 ounces cornstarch
15 - 2.5 cups vegetable oil

→ Aromatics

16 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
18 - 1 red chili, sliced

→ Garnish

19 - Sliced green onions
20 - Toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Combine chicken pieces with soy sauce, rice wine, egg white, and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix thoroughly to coat and let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Pour vegetable oil into a deep pan or wok and heat to 350°F.
03 - Dredge marinated chicken pieces in additional cornstarch until completely coated, shaking off excess.
04 - Deep-fry chicken in batches, maintaining oil temperature, until golden brown and crispy, approximately 4-5 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
05 - Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan. Add garlic, ginger, and chili; sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
06 - Whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, and orange zest in a bowl.
07 - Pour sauce mixture into the pan with aromatics and bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes.
08 - Add fried chicken to the sauce and toss gently to coat evenly. Serve immediately garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The homemade sauce puts takeout versions to shame with fresh orange juice and just the right sweet-tangy balance
  • That crispy coating stays perfectly crunchy even after getting tossed in the sauce if you follow the timing right
  • Its actually faster than waiting for delivery and you control exactly what goes into it
02 -
  • Do not overcrowd the pan when frying because the oil temperature drops too much and you end up with soggy greasy chicken instead of crispy
  • The sauce continues to thicken as it sits off the heat so remove it from the stove just slightly before it reaches your desired consistency
  • Room temperature chicken fries more evenly than cold straight from the fridge so let it sit out while you prep other ingredients
03 -
  • A candy thermometer takes the guesswork out of oil temperature but if you do not have one, drop a small piece of batter in the oil and it should sizzle vigorously and rise to the top immediately
  • If you want extra crispy chicken that stays crunchier longer, double dip by doing another quick egg white and cornstarch coating before the final fry

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