Description
This Double Crunch Orange Chicken recipe features tender chicken breasts with a crispy, flavorful coating, drenched in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy homemade orange sauce. Perfectly balanced with aromatic spices and a delightful crunch, this dish pairs wonderfully with rice or noodles for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups flour
- 4 tsp salt
- 4 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp ground thyme
- 2 tsp ground sage
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp water
- Salt and pepper for seasoning chicken breasts
- Canola oil for frying (about half inch depth in skillet)
Orange Sauce
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tbsp peanut oil or other vegetable oil
- 3 cups orange juice
- Finely grated zest of one small orange
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp chili flakes or 2 tsp crushed chili paste (adjust to taste)
- 1 1/2 to 2 rounded tbsp corn starch
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet, or slice horizontally with a sharp knife to create thinner cutlets.
- Mix Dry Coating: Sift together flour, salt, black pepper, ground ginger, nutmeg, thyme, sage, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. This mixture can be saved for future use.
- Make Egg Wash: Whisk eggs and 4 tablespoons water together in a separate bowl to create an egg wash.
- Coat Chicken: Season pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dip each piece first into the flour and spice mixture, then into the egg wash, and finally back into the flour and spice mix, pressing to ensure good adherence.
- Fry Chicken: Heat about half an inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium-low heat (approximately setting 4.5 out of 10). Gently fry the chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack for a few minutes.
- Prepare Orange Sauce – Step 1: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add minced garlic and 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil. Sauté until garlic softens but does not brown, about 2 minutes.
- Prepare Orange Sauce – Step 2: Add orange juice, orange zest, honey, rice wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes or crushed chili paste. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the sauce reduces by half. Skim off any film that forms on the surface.
- Thicken Sauce: Mix corn starch with 1/4 cup water until smooth. Slowly stir the mixture into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly to thicken to a glaze-like consistency. Boil for another minute, then remove from heat.
- Coat and Serve: Dip the fried chicken breasts into the orange sauce, coating thoroughly. Serve immediately with noodles or rice.
Notes
- The flour and spice dredge mix makes enough for two batches; extra mix can be stored in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for future use.
- Adjust chili flakes or crushed chili paste amount to your preferred spice level; use only 1/4 of the amount if you prefer mild heat.
- Pounding the chicken breasts ensures even cooking and tenderness and helps maintain a consistent thickness for frying.
- Use a thermometer or careful burner control to keep oil temperature moderate to avoid burning the coating before chicken is cooked through.
- Draining cooked chicken on a wire rack keeps it crispy by preventing sogginess from excess oil.
Keywords: orange chicken, double crunch chicken, crispy orange chicken, homemade orange sauce, fried chicken recipe, Chinese inspired chicken