Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings

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This Easy Orange Chicken Recipe is sure to be a hit with the whole family! It’s sweet and tangy, and coated in a sticky homemade orange sauce that is perfect over rice! Forget the takeout — this Orange Chicken is ready in just 30 minutes with one pan!

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orange chicken in white pan with sliced green onions on top and blue towel in front

This recipe first shared on Spend With Pennies.

This Orange Chicken recipe you guys…. it’s so easy, you can delete the contact info for your favorite takeout place from your phone 😉

Life is a little crazy around here at the moment. Our girls are 6, 3.5, and 6 months, and they are just not slowing down. They’re all in such different stages that it makes things very interesting!

Our 6 year old is wrapping up Kindergarten and getting ready for grade 1 (after a long summer off and lots of naps!), our 3 year old is getting ready to start Nursery school in the fall (and has this energy you guys… I don’t know where she gets it. If she ever starts drinking any sort of caffeine — look out). And our 6 month old wants so badly to be on the move, and I’m sure she’ll get there before we know it.

So easy 30 minute meals like this Orange Chicken? ESSENTIAL.

orange chicken in pan overhead on grey marble background with oranges on the side

Cook up some instant rice (I’ll be honest, I mostly gave up on long grain rice quite a while ago), throw some veggies on the table (my girls prefer them raw!), and you’re set.

How to Make this Easy Orange Chicken Recipe:

  • This Orange Chicken recipe is naturally gluten-free, but be sure to check all labels carefully, especially the soy sauce.
  • This Orange Chicken is naturally dairy-free, but again, be sure to read all labels.
  • This recipe can easily be adapted for the oven or the slow cooker as well! To bake in the oven, follow the method outlined in this Baked Honey Lemon Chicken recipe. To make in the slow cooker, see instructions below.
skillet orange chicken close up in pan with sliced green onions

How to make Crockpot Orange Chicken:

  • Coat and brown the chicken in a frying pan according to the original instructions.
  • Add the chicken and the sauce mixture to the crockpot, and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 3-4 hours until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through. It couldn’t be easier!
  • This is a great way to prepare orange chicken for a potluck because it is so easy to keep warm without overcooking. And I guarantee it will be one of the first things to disappear!
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Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

5 from 15 votes
This Easy Orange Chicken Recipe is sure to be a hit with the whole family! It’s sweet and tangy, and coated in a sticky homemade orange sauce that is perfect over rice! Forget the takeout — this Orange Chicken is ready in just 30 minutes with one pan! 
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Cuisine Chinese
Course Main Course
Servings 4 servings
Calories 233cal

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1″ cubes
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and add 3 tablespoons corn starch, salt and pepper. Stir to coat.
  • Heat a large pan over high heat and add oil.
  • Add chicken to the pan and cook over high heat, turning once, just until browned, about 2 minutes per side.
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce. Whisk together the marmalade, juice, chicken broth, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons corn starch, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes.
  • Once chicken is browned, reduce heat to medium and add the sauce. Cook and stir until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F minimum), about 10 minutes.
  • Serve over rice as desired.

Notes

*The flavor of your sauce will depend a great deal on how sweet your juice and marmalade is — if you taste it at the end and it is too bitter, add a spoonful or two of honey.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 233cal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1466mg | Potassium: 343mg | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 18.5mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Keywords one pan chicken recipe, orange sauce, skillet recipe

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Toni Bullock says

    Looking forward to your Orange Chicken! How many lbs chicken should I use? 1lb, 2lbs? Chicken breast varies so much now! Thank you!

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Toni! I didn’t weigh it and for this recipe it doesn’t make that much of a difference as long as you are using 2 breast. Enjoy!

  2. Denise Patricia Simpson says

    Yes I have for my daughter. I wouldn’t put pepper flakes in though. Served it with rice. Maybe I put too much pepper flakes.
    Very good recipe.

  3. Jenn says

    Loving this sweet and savory goodness! Thank you so much for the recipe – my family is obsessed with orange chicken!

  4. Jen L says

    This recipe was very fast to make and turned out just deliciously. Thanks! I’ll be adding into the rotation.

  5. mark says

    This was delicious! The sauce thickened so nicely, and we served it over cooked cabbage for a low carb alternative.

  6. Brooke Rollins says

    This was a wonderful recipe! I’ve tried a few orange chicken recipes at home, and this was by far the best. Also great is that it seems much healthier than the take-out version. My family (including a picky 6-year-old) loved it. Thanks, Ashley!

  7. Erika Miller says

    Tried this tonight – excellent! I subbed the white vinegar for rice vinegar but left everything else the same. Kids loved it!

  8. Diana K Roberts says

    Recipe says to add soy sauce in directions, but not listed in the ingredients or a measurement for how much to add.

  9. Colleen Benedict says

    Instead of unsweetened orange juice, could I use the juice from an orange as the “orange Juice”?

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