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Copycat Orange Chicken
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Copycat Orange Chicken
Our take on the Panda Express classic, crispy golden chicken pieces drenched in a sticky orange sauce with real ginger and garlic. The Thermomix nails the sauce while you fry, so everything comes together fast for a weeknight win.
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Essentials
Ingredients
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets
- 80 g cornstarch, for coating
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 2 garlic cloves (about 6 g)
- 15 g fresh ginger, peeled
- zest of 1 orange
- 150 ml fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
- 60 g sugar
- 30 g soy sauce
- 30 g rice vinegar
- 15 g sesame oil
- 1 pinch chili flakes
- 15 g cornstarch, for sauce
- 30 ml water
- 2 spring onions, sliced, for garnish
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, for garnish
Method
Preparation
- 1 Cut chicken thigh fillets into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cm). Season with salt and pepper. Beat egg in a shallow bowl, toss chicken pieces through egg, then coat evenly in 80 g cornstarch. Set aside on a tray.Weigh
- 2 Add garlic cloves and ginger to mixing bowl. Chop 5 sec/speed 7. Scrape down lid and sides with spatula.5s / sp7
- 3 Add orange zest, orange juice, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili flakes to mixing bowl. Cook 8 min/100C/speed 2/measuring cup on.8min / 100°C / sp2
- 4 While sauce cooks, heat vegetable oil (about 4 cm deep) in a heavy saucepan or wok to 180C. Fry coated chicken in 2-3 batches until golden and cooked through, about 3-4 min per batch. Do not overcrowd the pan. Drain on paper towels.
- 5 Mix 15 g cornstarch with 30 ml water in a small cup until smooth. Add slurry to mixing bowl. Cook 2 min/100C/speed 2/measuring cup on. Sauce should be glossy and coat the back of a spoon.Weigh 22min / 100°C / sp2
- 6 Transfer crispy chicken to a large bowl. Pour hot orange sauce over the chicken and toss until every piece is coated. Serve immediately over steamed rice, topped with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Tips
- Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast, but breast works if you prefer white meat.
- Double-coat the chicken for extra crunch, dip in egg, then cornstarch, then egg and cornstarch again.
- If you do not have fresh oranges, use 150 ml store-bought orange juice (not from concentrate) and 1 tsp finely grated orange zest.
- Sauce can be made ahead and reheated in the Thermomix at 90C/speed 2 for 3 min. Only toss with freshly fried chicken right before serving so it stays crispy.