Spicy Orange Chicken

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This quick and easy spicy orange chicken is a 30-minute dinner that is sticky sweet with the perfect pop of heat. Hot honey, sriracha and red chili flakes give balance to the bright citrusy orange flavor. This recipe also does not skimp on the sauce--it's got enough sauce to soak into the rice and any veggies you serve it with. This will be a favorite weeknight dinner for sure!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

Chicken

1 ½ lbs chicken tenderloins (or chicken breast) cut into small, bite-sized pieces (approx.. 1ish inch, doesn’t have to be exact)
3 Tbsp corn starch
½ tsp each: salt and pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika
2-3 Tbsp preferred cooking oil

Spicy Orange Sauce

1¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sriracha more or less for preferred spice level
2-3 Tbsp hot honey
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3-4 garlic cloves minced
1½-2 Tbsp orange zest
1 ½ inch piece of ginger grated
¼ - ½ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp pepper
sea salt to taste, as desired
1 tbsp corn starch

Instructions

Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside. You want this ready before cooking chicken because once you start cooking, it comes together very quickly. You can adjust spice level to your liking, before or after cooking.
Pat the chicken dry for best results and add the cut bite-sized pieces to a large gallon plastic bag. Add the corn starch and other seasonings to the bag and toss well to coat evenly.
Heat a large skillet or wok to medium-high heat and allow it to get really hot. Add the half of the oil to the skillet and let it heat up.
While oil heats, I like to pour the chicken into a colander to allow any excess corn starch to fall off so I don’t have random chunks of burnt cornstarch in the pan.
Working in batches, add the chicken to the pan in a single layer, making sure none of the pieces are touching one another. Cook for about 4 minutes uninterrupted for a golden-brown sear. Flip the chicken and cook another 3-4 minutes, or until center reaches 165°F or just below. Remove from the pan and set aside and heat remaining chicken.
Once all of the chicken is cooked, shift heat to low. Add the sauce to the hot pan and stir. Simmer for a few minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Once sauce is ready, add the chicken and stir to coat.
We serve ours over rice with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over top. We also usually add some steamed broccoli. Enjoy!

Notes

Have the sauce ready and all of the things you need for the recipe ready to go before you start cooking the chicken. Things move fast once you start to cook the chicken. Have a plate set out to move it to, have utensils, prepped sauce, etc. ready before you heat up the skillet and you will be much better off for sure!

Use chicken breasts, tenderloins or chicken thighs, but whatever you use, cut into even sized pieces for the best results and even cooking. Use an instant read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.

Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days in a sealed, airtight container. To reheat, you can microwave for about a minute and a half to 2 minutes, stirring once halfway. Add an extra splash of orange juice or soy sauce if too much of the sauce has been absorbed.

To freeze: allow the chicken to cool completely. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition