Hot Orange Chicken

Featured in: Hearty Meals for Every Table

Hot Orange Chicken cranks up the classic Panda Express favorite with extra spicy flair. You fry up little chicken chunks in a crispy flour-cornstarch blend and get them beautifully golden. Then, you pour on a tangy sauce with sweet orange juice, soy sauce for punch, a splash of rice vinegar, and just enough brown sugar. What really brings the heat are the handfuls of dried chilis and a good shake of pepper flakes. Ginger, fresh garlic, plus sesame oil pack in even more layers. Spoon it over rice, add some green onion, and suddenly it’s like eating takeout but in your kitchen.
A woman in a kitchen taking a selfie.
By Rosa Rosa
Updated on Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:11:19 GMT
Chicken and white rice in a bowl. Pin it
Chicken and white rice in a bowl. | letscookiteasy.com

This zesty, spicy chicken is loaded with bright orange flavor and fiery kick. Crispy bites hold up in the sticky, glossy sauce. Fragrant spices mix with fresh citrus, so you get a crave-worthy dish that honestly beats takeout. Try it once and you’ll want to make it again and again—any night you want something bold and homemade.

I really got hooked on this after my nephew raved about a spicy orange chicken he tried at a family get-together. With no Panda Express nearby, I started experimenting at home. Tons of failed (and a few great) attempts later, my picky teens now say my version is even better than the OG. It’s the fresh orange zest that really wakes things up for everyone.

Irresistible Ingredients Selection

  • Dark brown sugar: Goes deeper in flavor, giving your sauce a richer, caramel taste you won’t get from regular sugar.
  • Fresh orange zest: Packs powerful citrus oil, so your dish smells and tastes punchy—just juice won’t cut it.
  • Dried Szechuan chilies: Bring that tingling heat that newbs won’t find in regular orange chicken.
  • Rice vinegar: Lifts the sweetness with a gentle tang—store-bought stuff usually skips this.
  • Boneless chicken thighs: Thighs keep things juicy and tender compared to breast meat, but honestly, either works.
  • Toasted sesame oil: Tosses in a nutty whisper that makes everything round and balanced.

Simple Steps for Cooking

Bringing it together
Slide your fried chicken pieces into the wok with the sauce and aromatics. Gently toss, making sure all sides are coated but keep the crust intact. Warm everything through just a bit so the chicken stays crispy. Top with green onion slices and a scatter of sesame seeds for color and crunch.
Making the flavor base
Add a splash of oil to your wok, then throw in chilies, some red pepper flakes, and minced garlic. Stir quick—don’t let it burn, just until you can really smell the spices, about half a minute. This step turns the oil spicy and rich.
Golden crispy chicken
Heat oil up to 350°F in a big deep pan. Hot oil means a crunchy crust! Fry the chicken in batches, so they don’t stick, around 3 to 4 minutes each. Move the fried pieces onto a wire rack to keep them really crisp rather than setting them on paper towels.
Crunchy coating time
Pat the chicken thoroughly dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk up eggs with a bit of oil. On the side, mix flour and cornstarch plus some salt. Dunk each piece in the egg, then in the flour, pressing gently so the crumb sticks everywhere.
Super tasty sauce
Gather orange juice, fresh zest, soy, brown sugar, ginger, rice vinegar, and garlic in a pot and simmer until the sugar's gone. Mix cornstarch and cool water smooth, and pour it into the bubbling sauce, stirring fast while it thickens. Take it off the heat to rest while you get the chicken ready for frying.
A bowl of chicken with red peppers and green onions. Pin it
A bowl of chicken with red peppers and green onions. | letscookiteasy.com

My mom used to remind me that drying off the meat first really matters. The first time I skipped it, the breading got totally soggy. But after I listened and patted everything dry, the chicken turned out crisp and perfect. She also swears by going slow with the sauce—don’t rush it. Letting it reduce with patience gives a rich, deep flavor that really sticks with you.

Spice Power Moves

Nailing the heat takes a bit of finesse. Szechuan peppers are what make your tongue tingle while the pepper flakes sit in the background with a subtle warmth. For less fire, just cut back slowly—don’t take them out completely or you’ll miss the complexity. If it’s still too spicy, drizzle in a little honey to mellow things out. Just know leftovers get spicier after the fridge, so dial it down a touch if you want to eat this all week.

Serving Ideas

Ladle this colorful chicken over fluffy jasmine rice that soaks up the sticky sauce but doesn’t turn to mush. For the whole Panda Express feel, dish up some steamed broccoli or classic chow mein on the side. When it’s hot out, add a cool cucumber salad with just rice vinegar and sesame oil. For a fun twist at parties, serve in orange peel bowls with sauce on the side for dunking.

Fun Twists

Switch things up by making lettuce wraps—pile the crisp chicken in big butter lettuce leaves and pour over some extra sauce. Tofu fans can swap the chicken for extra-firm tofu (just press and cube it first) and coat as usual. If you want low carb, bread chicken with almond flour and crushed pork rinds. Add steamed veggies right into the pan for a super simple one-pan dinner, but if you want the best texture, keep ‘em separate.

A bowl of chicken with peppers and sauce. Pin it
A bowl of chicken with peppers and sauce. | letscookiteasy.com

Leftover Tips

Stash leftover chicken and sauce by themselves in sealed containers in the fridge—good for about three days. Get that crunch back by reheating the chicken on a wire rack in a 375°F oven for about 8 minutes, then toss or dip in gently warmed sauce. For faster meals, cook the chicken fully, let it cool, then freeze it flat before bagging. Defrost in the fridge before reheating and saucing. Make a little extra sauce; it soaks in as things sit, so you’ll be glad to have more.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How do I tone down the hotness in Hot Orange Chicken?
For less heat, drop the amount of dried chili peppers to 2 or 3 and stick with just a teaspoon of red pepper flakes. The spicy flavor will mellow out. You can also take the seeds out of the chilies if you want it even lighter.
→ No rice wine vinegar here, what can I use?
You can switch to apple cider vinegar with no problem—just swap the exact same amount. White wine vinegar or even a good squeeze of lemon juice will do the trick if you need that slightly tangy kick.
→ Want it gluten-free? What do I need to change?
Swap all-purpose flour with rice flour or your go-to gluten-free blend, and use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular. If gluten bothers you a lot, double check your cornstarch was made in a gluten-free facility.
→ Can I skip frying and bake instead?
Yep! Put the coated chicken on a wire rack over a baking tray, bake at 425°F about 15-20 minutes, and flip halfway. Spray with oil so they brown up nicely. Not quite as crunchy, but still tasty.
→ My sauce is kind of runny, what fixes that?
Just mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with a shot of cold water and stir a little at a time into the bubbling sauce. Give it a minute to cook, so any raw taste goes away, and get it as thick as you want.
→ What should I serve next to Hot Orange Chicken?
Rice is always a winner, but you can try chow mein noodles, fried rice, or even something like steamed broccoli or bok choy. Cauliflower rice and a crunchy Asian slaw also pair up great if you want something lighter.

Hot Orange Chicken

Crisp fried pieces of chicken, tossed in a zesty sweet-hot orange sauce, spiked with garlic and chili. It's a bold take on the Panda Express crowd-pleaser.

Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
40 Minutes
By Rosa: Rosa

Category: Main Courses

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American-Asian

Yield: 4 Servings (4 hearty portions)

Dietary: Dairy-Free

Ingredients

→ For the Crunchy Chicken

01 Cut 2 pounds of boneless chicken (breasts or thighs both work) into small, easy-to-bite pieces.
02 A single cup of cornstarch.
03 Half a cup of plain, all-purpose flour.
04 Two big eggs.
05 2 tbsp of vegetable or canola oil, with more set aside for frying.
06 1 teaspoon of salt.
07 A half teaspoon of mild white pepper.

→ For the Bold Orange Sauce

08 One whole cup of freshly squeezed orange juice.
09 The zest from a full orange.
10 3 tbsp of soy sauce.
11 4 tbsp of rice vinegar (a touch tangy).
12 Half a cup of tightly packed brown sugar.
13 2 tsp sesame oil, toasted for extra aroma.
14 1 tbsp of cornstarch to help thicken it all up.
15 A tablespoon of thinly sliced green onions; save more for sprinkling on top.

→ For the Fiery Stir-Fry Flavor

16 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil.
17 Start with half a cup of dried red chili peppers—you can tone it down or turn it up as you want.
18 A maximum of 6 teaspoons of red chili flakes, unless you'd rather go easy and add just a little.
19 A tablespoon of sesame oil.
20 Two finely chopped cloves of garlic.
21 Fresh grated ginger (just a tablespoon adds an incredible boost) — it's not a must, though.

Instructions

Step 01

Pour the orange juice, zest, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and brown sugar into a bowl. Toss in the cornstarch and green onion slices and stir like crazy until it all becomes a smooth mix. This sauce is full of flavor, so save it—you're adding it later!

Step 02

Grab a wide, flat dish (pie plates are great for this) and combine flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a different bowl with the oil—you'll notice this mix makes the coating stick better to the chicken.

Step 03

Fill a wok, deep skillet, or heavy-bottomed pan with around 2 inches of oil. Aim for 375°F. If you're unsure, toss in a small batter bit—it'll float and sizzle right away if the oil's good to go.

Step 04

Start prepping the chicken in batches before frying. Dip small pieces into your egg mix to coat fully first, then press them into the flour and cornstarch mixture. To keep them crispy later, shake off any extra coating.

Step 05

Drop coated chicken pieces gently into your hot oil but only in small groups or the temperature might drop. Let them cook around 3 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to pull them out and set them on a wire rack layered with paper towels.

Step 06

Once your chicken's done, heat up 2 spoons of fresh oil in a big skillet or wok at medium-high. Throw in chili flakes and dried red peppers, stirring quickly, but don't let them burn—it only takes 15 sec, and your kitchen smells awesome.

Step 07

Add sesame oil for that nutty flavor, then garlic and ginger. Stir for about 15 seconds but don't let it brown—it should smell amazing and add depth to your dish.

Step 08

Before pouring, stir the sauce since the cornstarch may have settled. Let it bubble and begin turning thick and shiny, then add that crispy chicken into the skillet. Keep the pan moving so every bit gets a good coat.

Step 09

Quickly toss everything together for a minute more. The chicken should still be crispy but warmed through. Spoon it over white rice, scatter green onion garnishes on top for flavor and color, then enjoy while it's piping hot!

Notes

  1. This version has strong spice! If you'd prefer a gentler heat, cut back to 1-2 tsp of chili flakes and reduce the dried chilies.
  2. Check Asian grocery stores for Sichuan dried chilies—they've got a unique, memorable flavor that regular chilies don't have.
  3. Keep the sauce separate until serving; this keeps the chicken extra crispy instead of soft.
  4. Pop leftovers in the fridge for three days max. Just a heads-up—the crispy texture won't come back after reheating.

Tools You'll Need

  • A deep skillet, wok, or something similar.
  • Use a thermometer to check oil heat.
  • Set up a wire rack for chicken draining.
  • A long-handled slotted spoon or similar tool.
  • Dishes or bowls for coating and dredging.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Uses gluten (flour included).
  • Eggs are in the recipe.
  • Soy (from soy sauce).
  • Sesame is present in the oil.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 425
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: ~
  • Protein: ~