• Home
  • About Me
  • Contact

The Gunny Sack

  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Slow Cooker
  • Recipe Index
    • All Recipes
    • Appetizer
    • Beverages
    • Breakfast
    • Crock Pot
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Salad
    • Side
    • Soup
    • Snack
    • Holiday
  • Tutorials
    • All Tutorials
    • Mason Jars
    • Homemade Gifts
    • Party Ideas

Home » Recipes » Chicken » Orange Chicken 30 Minute Skillet Recipe

Orange Chicken 30 Minute Skillet Recipe

Pin
Share

This post may contain affiliate links to products. If you use those links, I may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more here.

Jump to Recipe

This 30-minute skillet recipe for orange chicken is easy to make and so delicious! It’s an easy dinner recipe that your whole family will love.

Orange chicken over rice

My girls two favorite Chinese take-out dishes are orange chicken and sesame chicken. After my Honey Sesame Chicken was such a huge success with my family, I decided to try making Orange Chicken.

My plan was to make the orange chicken in my Crockpot like I did the sesame chicken, but I made a 30-minute skillet recipe instead.

UPDATE: This recipe was originally shared in August of 2014 and has been very popular. But after many of my readers expressed their disappointment in this recipe, I decided to update it in July 2016 to make it milder with less orange flavor as they requested.

For those of you who loved the original version, you can still print it here.

For the rest of you, I hope this updated version is more in line with what you were looking for.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to products for making this recipe. If you use those links, I may earn a commission. Learn more here.

How To Make Orange Chicken

Chicken marinating in bowl

Step One:

Start by cutting 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breasts into chunks (about 1 – 1 1/2 cubes). Mix together soy sauce, cornstarch, and water.

Add the chicken and stir to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate for 5 minutes.

Orange Sauce in bowl

Step Two:

While it is marinating, prepare the orange sauce so that it is ready when you need it later.

Whisk together orange juice, dark brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, orange zest, and optional sriracha sauce.

Fried Chicken in pan

Step Three:

I made this orange chicken a little healthier by opting not to deep fry the chicken pieces. Instead, the chicken in sauteed in two tablespoons of oil.

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet. Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon and carefully add it to the skillet.

Stir-fry the chicken, over medium-high heat, for 5-7 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Orange chicken sauce pouring into skillet

Step Four:

Add the orange sauce to the chicken and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.

Orange chicken skillet

Your kitchen should be smelling pretty amazing by now and your family will be coming into the kitchen asking what you are making!

Orange chicken over rice on plate

Step Five:

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired and serve the orange chicken over rice or noodles.

Orange chicken in chopsticks

We really enjoyed this orange chicken and ate the leftovers the next day. Vanessa said that she has never tasted orange chicken that actually tastes like oranges and that she really liked it! I love that the entire meal can be made in less than 30 minutes.

 

 

Continue to Content
Orange chicken over rice

Orange Chicken 30 Minutes Skillet Recipe

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

This 30-minute skillet recipe for orange chicken is easy to make and so delicious! It’s an easy dinner recipe that your whole family will love.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
  • Sesame seeds & sliced green onions for garnish, if desired

Marinade:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water

Orange Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp sriracha sauce, optional

Instructions

  1. Start by cutting 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breasts into chunks (about 1 – 1 1/2 cubes). Mix together soy sauce, cornstarch, and water. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate for 5 minutes.
  2. While it is marinating, prepare the orange sauce so that it is ready when you need it later. Whisk together fresh squeezed orange juice, dark brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, orange zest, and optional sriracha sauce. Set aside.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon and carefully add it to the skillet. Stir-fry the chicken, over medium-high heat, for 5-7 minutes until golden and cooked through.
  4. Add the orange sauce to the chicken and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring often until the sauce has thickened.
  5. Top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired. Serve over rice or noodles.

Notes

Recipe updated from original in August 2014.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 1358mgCarbohydrates: 22gSugar: 11gProtein: 38g

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us on Instagram @thegunnysack

© The Gunny Sack
Cuisine: Chinese / Category: Dinner
Pin
Share
« No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
Key Lime Ice Cream Loaf »

Comments

  1. Trish Olivier says

    February 27, 2021 at 5:30 pm

    This is a keeper. Made exactly as written except I’m a baby and only used 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha. It was a very flavorful and light orange chicken! Fresh and simple to make but an abundance of flavor. Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Shaun says

    December 24, 2020 at 12:53 pm

    No salt added 🧂 how was it tasted?

    Reply
  3. Meagan says

    February 14, 2020 at 8:17 pm

    Hi there. I made this and my sauce never turned bright orange like your picture shows. Just curious if I did something wrong.

    Reply
  4. Roxy Zahradnik says

    January 23, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    Can I make this in a instapot? How would that work?

    Reply
  5. Ann says

    July 18, 2019 at 6:57 pm

    Hey, I just wanted to drop in and let you know that your original recipe for this has been a staple in my house for six or seven years now! I’m about to make it again right now! Thanks for sharing!!!

    Reply
  6. E the P says

    February 10, 2018 at 8:13 pm

    The family really enjoyed this chicken dish. I didn’t have hoisin sauce, so I substituted raw honey from the fridge. I was also generous with the ingredients… used a little more than 3/4 cup of fresh juice and an extra tbsp of brown sugar.

    I also chopped and browned (caramelized) an onion and sprinkled it over the top when I served the platter.

    Reply
  7. Penny Weagly says

    January 29, 2018 at 3:22 pm

    Love, love ,love this recipe.. making it again tonight for the 3rd time. Doubling it to haves for lunch tomorrow..

    Reply
  8. Gen says

    January 11, 2018 at 1:24 pm

    I tried it yesterday and my family and I loved it. I had to put a little bit of food coloring to the sauce to make it orange instead of brown (my soy sauce is very dark) and it turned out great.
    I realized later I forgot to add the hoisin sauce, but it tasted good like that, so if you don’t have it in your fridge, that works too!
    Thank you Tonia!

    Reply
    • Tonia says

      January 12, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      Oh awesome! You are very welcome. I can’t wait to try an Instant Pot version! ~Tonia

      Reply
  9. Sara Oliver says

    August 10, 2017 at 9:37 pm

    We tried this tonight, but the sauce looked more like Cashew chicken than your pictures of pretty Orange Chicken. What did we do wrong? Any suggestions? (We did use concentrate, but I can’t imagine that would’ve turned the sauce into gravy.)

    Reply
    • Adolfo says

      October 17, 2017 at 1:41 pm

      I am not familiar with the cashew chicken, but if you are talking about the color of the sauce it could be the type of soy sauce used, there is dark soy sauce that then to dye foods on a darker tone and there is light soy sauce that doesn’t cause the effect.

      Reply
  10. Michael says

    April 17, 2017 at 7:59 pm

    I tried the old version:

    Being a single dad I like to be able to throw dinner together pretty quick. My 13 year old daughter has been eating Chinese food since she can walk and Orange Chicken is her favorite. She didn’t care for it. I made broccoli with it and it was the first time she ate all her broccoli. I didn’t care for it either. Too much of BBQ sauce taste. I look forward to trying the improved recipe. If you’ve ever eaten decent Chinese food on a regular basis you probably won’t like this.

    Reply
  11. Katie Vallier says

    January 26, 2017 at 8:38 pm

    I was rather disappointed by the recipe. We did make it a night ahead so my hubby could have it at his guys night. The sauce was not orange at all. May need to try the original recipe.

    Reply
  12. Dawn Luber says

    January 6, 2017 at 7:32 pm

    This was wonderful! Made it for a family Sunday dinner and my brother is Vegan. I substituted firm tofu in his dish and it turned out great! Now even my picky daughter asks for this dish, thanks!!

    Reply
  13. Stefanie Holt says

    December 7, 2016 at 7:28 pm

    I’m happy to see that the original was still available to print! Our family loves it and the original is more suited to ingredients we usually have on hand. I did notice the original recipe is categorized as dessert. 😄

    Reply
  14. Kim says

    November 3, 2016 at 10:19 pm

    Really good whole family loved it. Very easy too.

    Reply
  15. Lisa A Lance says

    October 13, 2016 at 5:46 pm

    I changed the oj for pineapple juice and added chopped white onion, peppers and pineapple….added a bit more vinegar for more zing….very yummy!

    Reply
    • Tonia says

      October 15, 2016 at 9:51 am

      Thanks for the idea! I can’t wait to give it a try!

      Reply
  16. Erin says

    October 12, 2016 at 1:24 am

    I made the original recipe tonight with the concentrate and it was delicious! It was the perfect amount of sweetness and orange flavor. I am surprised by the amount of negative reviews. Glad I went ahead and made it despite the naysayers. Yum!

    Reply
  17. manuel says

    September 25, 2016 at 10:09 pm

    en español por favor

    Reply
    • Tonia says

      September 26, 2016 at 9:26 am

      Por desgracia, no sé español. He utilizado Google translate y esto es lo que dijo:
      ingredientes
      1 ½ libras sin hueso, sin piel, pechugas de pollo
      2 cucharadas de aceite vegetal (para freír)
      Las semillas de sésamo y las cebollas verdes en rodajas para adornar, si lo desean
      Escabeche:
      ¼ taza de salsa de soja
      ¼ taza de maicena
      2 cucharadas de agua
      Salsa de Naranja:
      ¾ de taza de jugo de naranja recién exprimido
      2 cucharadas de azúcar moreno oscuro
      1 cucharada de fécula de maíz
      la salsa de soja 1 cucharada
      salsa hoisin 1 cucharada
      2 cucharaditas de vinagre de arroz
      1 cucharadita de ralladura de naranja
      1 cucharadita de salsa de sriracha (opcional)
      Instrucciones

      Informar de este anuncio

      Comience por cortar 1 ½ libras de pechugas de pollo en trozos (alrededor de 1 – 1 ½ cubos). Mezclar la salsa de soja, almidón de maíz, y agua. Añadir el pollo y revuelva para cubrir. Deje que el pollo macerar durante 5 minutos.
      A pesar de que se está marinando, preparar la salsa de naranja para que esté listo cuando lo necesite más tarde. Batir juntos el jugo de naranja recién exprimido, azúcar moreno, almidón de maíz, salsa de soja, salsa hoisin, vinagre de arroz, cáscara de naranja, y Sriracha opcional. Dejar de lado.
      Calentar 2 cucharadas de aceite en una sartén grande. Retire el pollo de la marinada con una espumadera y cuidadosamente agregarlo a la sartén. Sofreír el pollo, a fuego medio-alto, durante 5-7 minutos hasta que estén dorados y bien cocidos.
      Añadir la salsa de naranja para el pollo y cocine durante 4-6 minutos, revolviendo con frecuencia hasta que la salsa haya espesado.
      Arriba con semillas de sésamo y las cebollas verdes en rodajas, si se desea. Servir sobre arroz o fideos.

      Reply
      • Indy says

        October 3, 2016 at 9:52 pm

        Perfect translation.😊

        Reply
  18. Sarah says

    September 6, 2016 at 2:23 pm

    I love love love this recipe! We made it a few times back in the spring and loved it!

    Silly me never saved the actual the recipe so I panicked when I saw you had changed it. Thank you for keeping the original recipe accessible.

    I’m making this tomorrow night for my Grandfather. We recently lost my Grandmother who was a very picky eater so we’ve been having fun introducing him to all of these new foods he’s never had before. I’m sure it’ll be a hit 🙂

    The only thing we do different is add a green pepper, just for a little something else!

    Thanks so much!

    Reply
  19. Marina says

    August 24, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    I just tried making it last night for a family dinner. IT WAS A HIT!!! It tastes better and much healthier than take out! The only think I did differently was use regular no pulp orange juice and did not use orange zest. The added siracha made it great too! I was a little hesitant mixing the orange sauce because it was sooo liquidy but after adding it to the chicken, my God, it was amazing!!

    Reply
  20. Deb says

    August 13, 2016 at 12:36 pm

    Hi! I just made this tonight… Delish! Anyway, I noticed that you had another version- the original. I decided to take a look to compare. I just thought I would point out, on the Original version, it is listed on the recipe card as a “Dessert”. Whoops. LOL. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Tonia says

      August 13, 2016 at 11:30 pm

      Thanks Deb! Not sure how that happened but I took a screen capture of that recipe and save it as an image, before sharing the updated version, so I guess I’m stuck with it now. 🙂 Oh well! ~Tonia

      Reply
  21. Michelle says

    August 10, 2016 at 2:02 pm

    I made this recipe for the first time back in May and my family loved it! I put it on the menu for tonight and came to look at the recipe this morning and saw that you had updated it. I’m not sure why anyone would want less orange flavor? I’ll be making the original recipe for our dinner, thanks for leaving the link to it so I could still find it.

    Reply
    • Tonia says

      August 11, 2016 at 1:08 pm

      Awesome! We love it too!

      Reply
  22. Chris-Ann-Toni Hunter says

    July 25, 2016 at 8:53 pm

    Really yummy. Only 1 thing: Orange chicken is supposed to be sweet. This was more savory.

    Reply
  23. Kelly says

    July 25, 2016 at 6:01 pm

    I rarely leave comments on recipes I’ve pinned and tried, but I had to hop online after finishing the dishes up tonight because, Holy COW, that was a GREAT dinner! I made this revised version of your orange chicken and it really, really hit the spot–I was totally impressed with the flavors and how well it came together. The only thing I changed was that I used orange juice in place of fresh squeezed (and because I had no orange, no orange zest either). Other than that, I followed directions exactly as written and polished off two helpings worth of this dinner (side note: my 2-year-old and 4-year-old also gave me ZERO problems with this meal tonight, happily gobbling it up, and because most nights it’s a war just to get them to even TRY dinner, I consider this a major win!). Thanks a billion for this yummy meal–I’ll definitely be adding it to my dinner rotation!!

    Reply
    • Sam :) says

      August 4, 2016 at 12:21 pm

      jus have one question n I kno it might seem silly but I want to get it rt lol
      do u cook chicken first or can add everything all together

      Reply
  24. Jess says

    July 20, 2016 at 6:23 pm

    I made this tonight and use fresher squeeze orange juice and added the chili sauce for spice! It was fantastic! I also added a little more soy sauce. We used thighs bc that’s what I had on hand. Did people not taste the sauce? You can cut the orange in have and just try it to your liking. Anyhow thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  25. Heather Coffman says

    July 17, 2016 at 10:48 am

    The recipe was good. I read comments and was nervous at first but then common sense kicked in and unlike the other “posters” I taste as I go so I just adjusted as I went. I have never blindly followed anyone off a Cliff. haha
    Taste is individual and you need not have changed your original for a few blind cooks.
    Keep up the good work!

    Reply
    • Tonia says

      July 18, 2016 at 9:37 am

      Thank you so much for your support, Heather!

      Reply
  26. Maria says

    July 11, 2016 at 6:23 pm

    Made this tonight and I’m sorry to say it was the worst “orange Chicken” I’ve ever made and I’ve made plenty. This recipe is not even close to the recipes I’ve followed for the other orange chickens.

    Reply
    • Tonia says

      July 13, 2016 at 11:45 pm

      Thanks for sharing your feedback. I’ve updated the recipe to be milder with less orange flavor, although it still isn’t deep fried like other recipes you may have seen.

      Reply
  27. Hearher says

    June 23, 2016 at 9:19 pm

    I liked this recipe, but it was way too tangy! I might try it again, but use half the orange concentrate. Then again, I may never try it again, I wasted so much chicken on this round that I’m not sure I want to risk wasting more.

    Reply
    • Tonia says

      July 13, 2016 at 11:47 pm

      We loved the tangy-ness of the chicken, but I’ve updated the recipe to be milder with less orange flavor. Thanks for your feedback.

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

Tonia LarsonHi, I'm Tonia, a lover of food and photography! Fill a gunny sack with ingredients, tie on an apron and let's get cooking!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
sign up for emails button
Disclosure | Privacy Policy | Nutrition Disclaimer

Categories

Blog Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 ·Tasteful Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in