Description
This Panda Express Orange Chicken recipe recreates the popular restaurant dish at home with crispy baked chicken chunks coated in a sweet and tangy orange sauce. The sauce is made with fresh orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, simmered to a sticky glaze. Served over fluffy basmati rice, this easy oven-baked dish is perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Rice
- 2 pounds fully cooked chicken chunks (e.g. Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks)
- 4 servings basmati rice, cooked
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup rice wine
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- Zest of two oranges (reserve a small portion for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger root
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
Garnish (optional)
- Chopped white onion green tops
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to get it ready for baking the chicken chunks until crispy and golden brown.
- Prepare Chicken for Baking: Place the fully cooked chicken nuggets on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet, spreading them out evenly for even crisping.
- Bake Chicken Nuggets: Bake the chicken nuggets according to their package instructions, making sure they become crisp and golden brown for the best texture.
- Make Sauce Base: While the chicken bakes, whisk together cornstarch, rice wine, and water in a medium saucepan until smooth to form the base for the orange sauce.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: To the saucepan, add orange juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, granulated white sugar, brown sugar, orange zest, minced ginger, garlic, and optional red chili flakes. Stir to combine.
- Boil Sauce: Bring the sauce mixture to a boil over medium heat, ensuring all sugars dissolve and flavors meld.
- Simmer Sauce: Reduce the heat to a simmer, allowing the sauce to thicken and become sticky while stirring occasionally until it reaches a glaze consistency.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Once the chicken nuggets are fully baked and crispy, add them to the saucepan and toss to coat them evenly with the sticky orange sauce.
- Serve: Serve the orange chicken hot over cooked basmati rice, garnishing with reserved orange zest, chopped green onion tops, and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Using fully cooked chicken chunks shortens cooking time and simplifies preparation.
- Baking the nuggets instead of frying keeps the dish lighter and easier to prepare.
- Freshly squeezed orange juice and zest enhance the authentic orange flavor.
- Optional chili flakes add a spicy kick; omit if you prefer milder flavor.
- Garnishes like sesame seeds and green onion tops add texture and visual appeal.
- Adjust sugar quantities slightly to balance sweetness to your taste.
