What Is In Orange Beef
Orange Beef is the far less known version of Chinese Food with orange flavors. Since orange chicken is so popular most people dont order the beef version. Simply purchase the best beef you are comfortable buying and freeze for 30 minutes. Slice VERY thinly against the grain and cook it just like you would the orange chicken.
Tools used in the making of this Panda Express Orange Chicken:
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The pictures above are from a newly photographed, but here were the originals from 2015:
About the Author: Sabrina Snyder
Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.
Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.
She is also the author of the upcoming cookbook: Dinner, then Dessert Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients which is being published by Harper Collins.
She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.
Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.
How To Make Quick And Easy Skillet Honey Garlic Chicken:
Tmp Orange Chicken Saucewith A Not
If its not coated in a slightly sticky, tangy-sweet sauce, then its just not orange chicken. Our easy orange chicken sauce hits all of the right notesa little sweet, a little tart, a little savory, and a little spicy. Heres what youll need:
- An orange! Yesa real, actual orange. Believe it or not, using freshly squeezed orange juice and zest really sets this recipe apart. Fresh orange juice, plus a little zest will make your orange chicken sing with flavor.
- Soy sauceor you can use gluten-free tamari, which makes the whole dish gluten-free!
- Chili-garlic pasteany brand you love works just fine.
- Rice wine vinegar.
- Water + cornstarchthis forms a slurry, which is the key to giving the sauce a classic Chinese restaurant texture. Just sticky enough to cling to tender, roasted chicken bites.
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Can I Use An Air Fryer Instead
Yes!
To air fry chicken: Transfer cornstarch coated chicken into air fryer and give each piece enough space. You may need to air fry in two batches if needed. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes depending on your air fryer.
Note: I have an Philips Air Fryer and I air fried mine at 400 degrees at 14 minutes for a crispy texture. If youre using a different machine, check your chicken at 12 minutes and if it needs more crispiness, air fry for another couple minutes until you reach your desired texture.
Why Youll Love This Panda Express Copycat Recipe
- Made with delicious Homemade Orange sauce. This sweet and savory sauce is made at home with fresh orange juice and ingredients you actually know.
- An easy stir fry. Easy to prep and made mostly with kitchen staple ingredients, this easy Orange Chicken goes from pantry to table in 30 mins.
- Better than takeout. You will not miss takeout with this richly flavored orange chicken on the menu. Half the price and none of the guilt with extra added ingredients!
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The Perfect Batter For Frying Chicken
Daddy Lau emphasizes a 3:1 flour to cornstarch ratio for our batter, because using only flour wouldn’t give us enough crunch, while using only cornstarch would turn out rock-hard. A small amount of baking powder contributes to the delicacy of the crunch.
This batter will give you perfectly crispy chicken pieces that can hold up a loving layer of sticky orange chicken sauce.
Homemade Orange Chicken Sauce
Not only you can use this orange sauce to make orange chicken or a quick stir fry, you can even make roasted vegetables with it!
Do you want to whip up a healthy dinner on the table on a busy weeknight? Thinking about changing up flavors so dinner wont be boring again?
Making stir fry sauce in advance is the perfect solution.
Over the years, I found out that mastering the few key components of stir frying is much more useful than just learning a recipe. That is to understand the process of stir frying, how to choose and prep ingredients, and how to make a great stir fry sauce.
If you get these few tools under your belt, not only can you make your favorite takeout dish in your own kitchen that tastes even better than those in Chinese restaurants, but the whole process will become less intimidating and the results more delicious!
Moreover, understanding the key techniques will make your meal planning and prepping more flexible, because you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand, instead of hunting down an ingredient just to follow through the recipe.
Even better, I will share all the secrets of how to use stir fry sauce to create quick and healthy meals, without stir-frying!
You ready? Lets dive in!
Todays lesson is on how to prepare a stir fry sauce.
This is the easiest part, because all you need to do is add all the ingredients in a jar and shake to mix.
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Cooking Tips + Tricks
- While I love using fresh oranges for the juice, you can purchase freshly squeezed bottled orange juice for this recipe.
- This recipe can be cooked up in a small 1.5 quart saucepan.
- Want to make this recipe more spicy? Start with the ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and add a pinch more at a time to taste.
- This recipe is easy to double! When doubling the recipe, youll get 1 ½ cups of sauce.
- When using this sauce, you can use sesame seeds or diced green onion as a garnish.
Tips For Success With The Cornstarch Method
Some people have had trouble with this method in the previous recipe, so I want to give you a couple tips here:
- Make sure your skillet is nice and hot. If its too cool the egg batter will slide off the chicken and turn into scrambled eggs in your skillet.
- Dont stir the chicken too much while it cooks. After adding the chicken to your skillet, dont touch it until its golden on the bottom, then flip, and cook again. Stirring too much can knock the cooked batter off the chicken, leaving you again with separate cooked eggs and chicken.
- If youre a beginner, use a non-stick skillet. If you prefer to use stainless steel, let the skillet heat up before adding the oil. This helps prevent the egg from sticking.
This cornstarch-egg frying method gives the chicken pieces just a touch of breading and fried flavor, while leaving the dish tasting light and fresh. IMHO, its absolutely perfect.
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Is Orange Chicken A Traditional Chinese Recipe
Orange Chicken is not a traditional dish found in China. It is a popular dish served at Chinese restaurants in North America, but it is most definitely not an authentic or traditional dish. It is said to have been invented by the popular restaurant chain Panda Express which serves up pseudo-Chinese food for an American palate and is in no way Authentic Chinese cuisine.
Is Panda Express Orange Chicken Authentic
Andrew Cherng, the founder and CEO of Panda Express said that Orange Chicken is a variation of General Tsos Chicken . Orange Chicken is definitely Americanized. If you are able to find an Orange Chicken in China, it will probably be Orange PEEL Chicken which is a similar dish that is flavored with orange rinds, creating a much tangier flavor. Authentic or not, this dish is certainly popular and oh so delicious!
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How To Make This Recipe
Making this easy orange chicken recipe at home is not only healthier than takeout, its also way faster than waiting for delivery. This meal comes together super quick! Heres the simple method:
- Coat the chicken. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, cornstarch and salt & pepper. Mix well. Add the bite-size pieces of chicken and toss until each piece is fully coated. Set aside.
- Make the sauce. In a separate medium bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, white or rice vinegar, the zest and juice of 1 orange, minced garlic and tablespoon of cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch has dissolved.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until browned. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and cover.
- Add the sauce. When all of the chicken is cooked, add it back to the skillet along with the orange sauce mixture. Cook over medium heat until the chicken pieces are fully cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately over rice! Top with green onions and orange zest. If you like a bit of spice, add a dash of red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
This chicken cordon bleu sauce is one of my favorites. Its wonderfully creamy and absolutely delicious.
Chicken cordon bleu would not be the same without this velvety sauce. Its buttery and smooth with a pinch of pepper and basil.
This sauce will be perfect for any homemade dish or will take store-bought to the next level.
Another favorite Chick-fil-A sauce is the Polynesian sauce. Its a fantastic dipping sauce that is sweet and tangy.
Unlike the actual Chick-fil-A version, this sauce only requires three ingredients.
You only need French dressing, apple cider vinegar, and some honey.
Just mix up this quick and delicious sauce and then you can dip your heart out!
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Easy Homemade Orange Chicken
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
OMG you guyyyysssss Orange chicken has been on my list for-ev-er and I finally got around to making it today and now Im kicking myself for not making it sooner because this Easy Orange Chicken is most definitely my new favorite! The chicken pieces are tender, juicy, and lightly breaded, while the sauce is sweet and spicy, with a whoosh of fresh orange. Absolutely perfect.
How To Make Orange Chicken Sauce
- Place the orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and garlic in a medium saucepan.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Carefully taste the mixture and add more soy sauce, sugar, or vinegar to suit your taste.
- Mix the cornstarch and water in a cup to make a slurry and pour into the sauce. Stir constantly until the sauce begins to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. This step can take anywhere from about 30 seconds to a few minutes.
- Add fully cooked fried chicken or the meat of your choice and toss to fully coat in the sauce.
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Can You Bake Orange Chicken
Because this chicken is battered, we dont recommend baking this recipe as it is written. However, you can make an oven-baked Panda Express chicken recipe by omitting the wet ingredients from the batter. Instead, toss the chicken pieces directly in the dry ingredients, then spread the chicken in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pieces reach an internal temperature of 165°. Then, continue to make the sauce as directed in the recipe.
What Is A Cornstarch Slurry
A cornstarch slurry is simply a mixture of cold water and cornstarch which is often used as a thickening agent in asian inspired sauces.
Add the slurry to the sauce, and whisk for 5 minutes, until thickened.
Your sauce is now ready to serve!
I cant be the only one obsessed with orange sauce on rice!
Honestly, that might be my favorite part of finishing my plate.
This dish is perfect for veggie stir fry, orange chicken, tofu with orange sauce, or crispy orange cauliflower.
Try making this at home and let me know what you think!
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Can You Make Panda Express Orange Chicken Spicy
Absolutely! The best part of making restaurant copycat recipes is that you can tailor them to your familys taste preferences. Add extra chili flakes for a spicier orange chicken recipe. Alternatively, you can reduce or omit the chili flakes completely to cater to palates that are sensitive to spicy foods.
How To Make Homemade Orange Chicken Sauce
I love how easy this recipe is! Just throw all of the ingredients into the pan, simmer, and let it cool! Heres how to make it in four easy steps:
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Why This Is The Best Orange Chicken Recipe
We know there are hundreds, if not thousands of recipes out there but we truly think our recipe is one of the best ones around!
- We dont use a thick/heavy batter like most recipes. We simply dredge our chicken in some cornstarch ensuring you still get that crispy outer texture, while maximizing delicious chicken in every bite!
- Our recipe comes together in under 30 minutes! You read that right! Our recipe is not only super simple, but also comes together quickly, making it a great weeknight meal!
- We shallow fry our chicken instead of deep frying. This uses much less oil, making cleanup way easier!
- The recipe itself doesnt require an hard to find ingredients and the ingredient list itself is fairly short.
- Our sauce is jam packed with sweet and tangy orange flavor, which is what were lookin for in a delicious orange chicken recipe!
- We dont use any egg to coat our chicken, which is a plus for anyone with egg allergies!
- We also dont use any flour in our recipe, so if you just replace the soy sauce with tamari, you have a great gluten-free dish!
Allrecipes Community Tips And Praise
“I made this for my family and got raves. I didn’t have any green onions so I left onion out and I cut back a little bit on the red pepper flakes. It was so good. I served it with brown rice and it was perfect. I didn’t have any leftovers even though I used 4 chicken breasts. I will definitely be making this again,” according to Carol.
“LOVED this recipe. Time intensive, but worth the effort. I used fresh oranges and lemons for juice. I made brown rice and stir fried snow peas, broccoli flowers, grated carrots, and diced red peppers. Rice went on the plate first, followed by the veggies, then the chicken, and last the sauce. Delish,” raves jenvan.
“My family, even my 13 year old grandson, loved it. The only change was the marinating for 2 hours. It was a last minute dinner idea and I didn’t have 2 hours so I put it in the freezer for 20 minutes and it worked out fine. Next time though I will cook the chicken in small batches as it didn’t all get as crispy as I would have liked,” says Firebird91.
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3tablespoonsolive oil
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More Tasty Chicken Recipes Youll Love
Looking for more easy meals? Take a look at some more of our favorite chicken recipes below!
- Chicken Shawarma is one of our favorite dishes to make. Its hearty and flavorful, and our version of this classic recipe is simple and straightforward so you can be in and out of the kitchen in no time.
- When we have a get-together, one of the most requested items is our Crispy
