Crisp-fried chicken pieces glazed in a bright, sticky orange sauce balancing sweet, tart, and a whisper of chili. A signature of American-Chinese fast-casual dining rooted in Hunan-style tangerine-peel chicken.
The dish descends from Hunan's chen pi ji, chicken cooked with dried tangerine peel, but its modern fame was minted in 1987 when chef Andy Kao created a sweet, citrus-glazed version for the Panda Express chain, debuting it as the brand spread beyond California. Fresh orange juice and zest replaced the bitter dried peel, and the dish became one of the most-ordered Chinese-American plates in the country.
The crackly fried shell soaks up a glossy sauce that bursts with fresh orange brightness, sweet up front and citrus-tart behind. A faint chili heat keeps it from cloying, and the chicken stays juicy inside. Sticky, sunny, and crave-able.
A flour-and-cornstarch crust fries up extra craggy, giving the glaze more surface to cling to. Fresh juice and zest provide aromatic citrus oils while a cornstarch slurry sets the sauce into a clear, clinging glaze.
Variations
Hunan dried tangerine-peel chen pi chicken, lighter baked version, mandarin or tangerine variants, sesame-finished style
On the Palate
Where Orange Chicken sits in the American-Chinese flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 25 min
- 15 min
Cut chicken thigh into chunks and marinate briefly in soy sauce, egg, and white pepper.
- 23 min
Coat the pieces in a mix of cornstarch and flour for a craggy crust.
Watch outCoat every piece in the cornstarch-flour mix and let the surface look craggy and dry — those rough edges are what grab the glaze later.
- 33 min
Combine fresh orange juice, zest, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar for the sauce.
- 48 min
Deep-fry the chicken at 180C until deep golden and crisp, then drain.
Watch outHold the oil around 180 degrees and fry to deep gold and crisp — too cool and the crust turns greasy and pale instead of shattering.
- 52 min
Sizzle garlic, ginger, and a pinch of dried chili flakes in a hot wok.
- 63 min
Pour in the orange sauce and simmer, thickening with a cornstarch slurry.
Watch outDrizzle the slurry in and simmer until the sauce turns glossy and clear and coats the spoon — stop there, over-thick glaze goes gummy on the chicken.
- 72 min
Add the fried chicken and toss until every piece is glazed and glossy.
Watch outAdd the chicken and toss fast off the heat's edge so it glazes while the crust is still crisp — sitting in the sauce softens it.
- 81 min
Garnish with orange zest and scallions and serve immediately.
