Huge Orange Chicken
Prep
20m
Cook
20m
Total
40m
Bigly says
Sit down for this one. Orange chicken. HUGE orange chicken — the biggest, brightest, glossiest orange chicken on the face of the planet. Here's what nobody tells you: orange chicken is an American invention. Born in a mall food court in California, 1980s, I had people look it up, it's a FACT. America took a Chinese frying technique, slapped fresh orange juice on it, and the rest of the world has been chasing the taillights ever since. Not even close. It's a slaughter.
Most so-called chefs make this with ORANGE MARMALADE. From a jar. From a JAR! Imagine looking at a beautiful, fragrant, fresh orange and reaching past it for the sugar paste that's been in your pantry since 2019. Sad. A disgrace to citrus. That chef on TV — you know the one — does this wrong, the food media won't say it, but somebody has to. A crime against the orange.
We use real oranges. Real zest. Real juice. The zest has the oils, the oils have the flavor, the flavor has the magic. And the chicken — crispy. CRISPY. We double-fry, same as the Tso's, because that's how the pros do it, and it's the only way the crust survives contact with that glossy, sticky, ORANGE sauce. You'll bite in and there will be a CRUNCH, then sweetness, then bright citrus, then the chili heat, then a little soy-savory finish — and you will close your eyes and think to yourself, 'Bigly was right about everything.' You'd be correct.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbboneless skinless chicken thighs(cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1 tbspsoy sauce
- 1 tbspshaoxing wine
- 1large egg
- 3/4 cup, dividedcornstarch
- 1/4 cupall-purpose flour
- 4 cupsneutral oil for frying
- from 2 orangesfresh orange zest(zest the oranges BEFORE you juice them, every time)
- 3/4 cupfresh orange juice(freshly squeezed, the jar stuff is a CRIME)
- 3 tbspsoy sauce(for the sauce)
- 2 tbsprice vinegar
- 1/3 cupbrown sugar
- 1 tbsphoisin sauce
- 1/2 tspcrushed red pepper flakes(more if you like heat)
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1 tbspfresh ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold watercornstarch slurry
- 1 tsptoasted sesame oil
- 2scallions, sliced
- 1 tspsesame seeds (for garnish)
- as neededsteamed white rice (for serving)
Steps
- 1
In a bowl, toss chicken with salt, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and shaoxing wine. Let sit 10 minutes.
- 2
Whisk the egg into the chicken, then add 1/2 cup cornstarch and the flour and toss until each piece is fully and dryly coated. Dust with the remaining 1/4 cup cornstarch.
- 3
Heat oil in a wok or deep pot to 325°F. Fry chicken in 2-3 batches for 4-5 minutes until pale gold and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack.
- 4
Raise oil to 375°F and fry the chicken a second time in batches for 1-2 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Drain again.
- 5
Whisk the sauce: orange juice, 3 tbsp soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- 6
In a clean wok or large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the frying oil over medium-high. Add garlic, ginger, and orange zest. Stir-fry 30 seconds — the zest will perfume the oil.
- 7
Pour in the sauce and bring to a hard simmer. Cook 1-2 minutes to reduce slightly. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce turns glossy and clings to a spoon, about 30 seconds.
- 8
Add the fried chicken and toss vigorously to coat every piece in glaze.
- 9
Off the heat, drizzle with sesame oil. Plate and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately over hot rice.
One more thing
And there you have it. Orange chicken the way it was meant to be — crispy, bright, glossy, balanced. Not too sweet, not too sour, not goopy, not gluey. It's the dish that built the American Chinese food empire and you can make it at home in forty minutes. No mall food court, no oversized soda, no plastic tray. Just a wok, some oranges, and the willingness to fry the chicken TWICE because once is for amateurs. Tremendous.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about Huge Orange Chicken.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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