Description
This homemade PF Chang’s Orange Chicken is crispy, sticky, and bursting with sweet and tangy citrus flavor. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or when those takeout cravings hit, it’s easier than you think to recreate this restaurant favorite at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 3/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
- Chopped green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat to 350°F.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, and eggs to make a batter. Toss chicken pieces in the mixture until fully coated.
- Fry chicken in batches for 5–6 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels or a rack.
- In a saucepan, combine orange juice, zest, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. Simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Toss fried chicken in the sauce until well coated.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh orange juice and zest for the best flavor.
- Double fry the chicken if you want extra crunch.
- Adjust spice level by increasing or omitting chili flakes.
- To keep chicken crispy, toss with sauce just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 155mg
Keywords: orange chicken, PF Chang's copycat, Chinese takeout, sweet and tangy chicken, crispy orange chicken