Baked Orange Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken glazed in a sweet, tangy orange sauce — a lighter spin on takeout classic.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.75 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
02 - Salt and pepper, to taste
03 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
→ Orange Sauce
04 - ⅔ cup fresh orange juice
05 - 2 tbsp orange zest
06 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
07 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
08 - 3 tbsp honey or brown sugar
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
11 - 1 tsp sesame oil
12 - 1 tsp chili flakes (optional, for heat)
→ Garnishes
13 - 2 green onions, sliced
14 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
15 - Orange slices (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then toss with cornstarch until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange coated chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
04 - While the chicken bakes, combine orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and chili flakes in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
05 - Transfer baked chicken to a large bowl. Pour the orange sauce over and toss to coat thoroughly.
06 - Return the sauced chicken to the oven for an additional 5–7 minutes until caramelized.
07 - Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and orange slices if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice or vegetables.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That glossy, sticky orange sauce clings to every piece of chicken like it was made for it, which honestly it was.
- Baking instead of frying means you get all the takeout satisfaction with none of the stovetop oil splatter covering your stove.
- The sauce comes together from pantry staples and a couple of real oranges, so you probably already have everything you need.
02 -
- If you crowd the chicken on the baking sheet it will steam instead of bake, and you will lose that slightly crisp texture that makes this dish special.
- The sauce will look thin when you first start simmering it, but trust the process because it thickens quickly in the last two minutes and keeps thickening as it cools.
03 -
- For legitimately crispy edges that rival fried takeout, flip your oven to broil for the final two minutes and watch it like a hawk so nothing burns.
- Zest your oranges before you juice them because trying to zest a deflated, squeezed orange half is a frustrating exercise in patience that you do not need.