Easy Orange Chicken Recipe- On the Table in 20 Minutes! (2024)

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This Easy Orange Chicken Recipe. is made in the skillet and uses a shortcut ingredient that puts this delicious chicken dish on the table in 20 minutes.

Easy Orange Chicken Recipe- On the Table in 20 Minutes! (1)

20 Minute Orange Chicken Recipe:

Mmm, yummy, that looks good, doesn’t it? My kiddos love Orange Chicken! It’s one of the few dishes they request all the time and I know they would be thrilled if I made this dish every week.

They even make it a point to check the school lunch calendar, so they can be sure to not bring lunch on the days the school cafeteria serve orange chicken… This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods. The opinions and text are all mine.

Easy Orange Chicken Recipe- On the Table in 20 Minutes! (2)

You might think making Orange Chicken from scratch is too much work, especially if you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table, but I have a sneaky shortcut to whip up the yummiest orange chicken that everyone will love.

My secret is to use the Tyson® fully cooked Crispy Chicken Strips! Since the chicken prep is done, all you have to do is cook the rice and put together this quick sauce. The recipe does include dicing a bit of carrot and red bell pepper, but you could totally leave that out, it’s mainly for color.

Make sure you use the Tyson fully cooked chicken strips (they look like this), NOT the nuggets. While my kids do like the nuggets, they are not great in this particular recipe. You need all the extra batter in the chicken strips for the orange sauce to stick to and be absorbed.

Easy Orange Chicken Recipe- On the Table in 20 Minutes! (3)

Ingredients in this 20 Minute Orange Chicken Recipe.

Want to give this Easy Orange Chicken Recipe a Shot? Here are the ingredients to add to your shopping list. (Looking at the ingredient list, this recipe looks like a lot of work, but it’s super easy, I promise!

  • 24 ozof Tyson®Crispy Chicken Strips
  • Sesame oil
  • Baby carrots
  • Red bell pepper
  • 1garlic clove
  • Fresh orange zest
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • Teriyaki sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Cornstarch
  • Cooked rice

How to Make this Easy Orange Chicken Recipe:

Scroll Down to get the printable recipe card.)

  1. Cook chicken strips according to package directions, set aside.
  2. In your largest skillet, over med-high heat, add oil and sauté carrots and bell peppers for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute or two.
  3. Add orange zest, juice, teriyaki, soy, sugar, salt red pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil.
  4. Mix cornstarch with a bit of orange juice and add to pan, stirring in thoroughly.
    Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 more minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  5. Chop some of the larger strips into more manageable sized pieces. Add chicken to the skillet and toss to coat.
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A few questions I see over and over:

Can I Make this Orange Chicken Recipe Ahead of Time?

You can make the sauce ahead of time, but I recommend not adding the sauce to the chicken until you are ready to serve.

Can I Freeze this Easy Orange Chicken?

I wouldn’t recommend it. It only takes a few minutes to make.

Can I Use Cut up Chicken Breasts in this Recipe?

You definitely can, it will be healthier and fewer calories, but then you will also be missing that delicious breading to absorb the orange sauce.

Can I Double this Orange Chicken Recipe?

Of course! If you are trying to stretch a dollar, I recommend doubling the sauce and then stretching the meal by adding broccoli and double the rice. (the sauce is amazing on the rice.)

Looks amazing, doesn’t it?

Pin this Easy Orange Chicken recipe for later here:

Easy Orange Chicken Recipe- On the Table in 20 Minutes! (5)

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Easy Orange Chicken Recipe- On the Table in 20 Minutes! (6)

20 Minute Orange Chicken

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Jamie Sanders
Print Recipe

Description

Easy 20 Minute Orange Chicken Recipe that you can have on the table in a flash!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 24 oz of Tyson®Crispy Chicken Strips
  • 1 tbsp Sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh orange zest
  • 2 cups orange juice (reserve just a bit to mix with cornstarch)
  • 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • optional: pinch of red pepper flakes (Only add if you want a bit of heat.)
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • cooked rice

Instructions

  1. Cook chicken strips according to package directions, set aside.
  2. In your largest skillet, over med-high heat, add oil and sauté carrots and bell peppers for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute or two.
  3. Add orange zest, juice, teriyaki, soy, sugar, salt red pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil.
  4. Mix cornstarch with a bit of orange juice and add to pan, stirring in thoroughly.
    Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 more minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  5. Chop some of the larger strips into more manageable sized pieces. Add chicken to the skillet and toss to coat.

Serve over rice and enjoy!

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About the AuthorJamie Sanders is a wife and mom of 2, located in the heart of Texas. She founded Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom in 2011 as a place to share creative ideas and family friendly recipes. Her work has been featured on Martha Stewart, Woman’s World, HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, CNET, Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, Oprah Daily, and Redbook, plus many other publications. To date, she had given away just under a million free pdf sewing patterns.
Easy Orange Chicken Recipe- On the Table in 20 Minutes! (2024)

FAQs

What is the orange chicken sauce made of? ›

How to make the orange chicken sauce. The orange sauce is made from a mixture of the orange juice and zest, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and rice vinegar. This is bubbled up in the wok until slightly thickened. The chicken is then added back in, and tossed in the sauce until fully coated.

How long should I microwave orange chicken? ›

Replace plastic wrap; microwave on high until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in scallions; replace plastic wrap and let stand 3 minutes.

How to cook a lot of chicken at once? ›

Use multiple cooking pots: If you need to cook a large amount of chicken, you may need multiple pots, like multiple slow cookers or roasting pans. You'll want to avoid overstuffing a single pot so the chicken can cook evenly and thoroughly.

How do you thicken orange chicken sauce? ›

To thicken the sauce, pour it into a small saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a cornstarch slurry. Once the sauce starts to bubble in the pan on the stovetop, add the cornstarch slurry and stir to combine.

What is a substitute for orange juice in orange chicken? ›

The most commonsubstitutes for orange juice are lemon, lime, apple, and pineapplejuice. Sometimes you can use orange extract as well to keep the orange flavor. But for some recipes you may also need to add something acidic as well, such as pineapple juiceor citric acid.

Why is my orange chicken soggy? ›

Avoid Soggy Chicken: To keep the chicken crispy, fry it until it's just done and don't let it sit in the sauce for too long. Toss it in the sauce right before serving to maintain that delightful crunch. Fresh Orange Zest: Don't skip the orange zest in the sauce; it adds a fresh and vibrant flavor.

How long can you eat orange chicken? ›

Orange chicken is best enjoyed soon after making. If you have any leftover, let the chicken cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. It'll stay good in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

How do you know when orange chicken is cooked? ›

Continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 1 to 2 hours.

How to cook chicken for beginners? ›

Place chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of breast registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

What is the fastest way to cook chicken? ›

If speedy is what you're after, try tossing those chicken breasts in a pan (or a wok). Pan-frying, sautéing, and stir-frying all produce quick, tasty results in as little as 10 minutes -- that's total, not per side.

What are 3 ways to cook chicken? ›

5 different ways to cook chicken
  1. Pan Fried chicken. Pan fried chicken is very easy and quick to make, and is delicious when seasoned! ...
  2. Braised chicken. Braised chicken is perfect for Autumn and Winter months as you can create scrumptious stews and casseroles. ...
  3. BBQ chicken.

How quickly should you cook chicken? ›

Here's the shortest answer we can give you: For large boneless, skinless chicken breasts: cook them 20 to 30 minutes in a 375 degrees F oven. For large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts: cook them 35 to 40 minutes in a 375 degrees F oven.

How many minutes to cook chicken? ›

Boneless breasts will require 8-11 minutes per side in the pan, while bone-in breasts will need 11-15 minutes per side to cook fully. Boneless thighs should be cooked for 5-7 minutes per side, whereas bone-in thighs require 8-11 minutes per side.

Is a whole chicken too much for one person? ›

Portion Size: A whole chicken is a large portion, and consuming it in one sitting may exceed typical single-serving sizes. It's advisable to consider portion control to maintain a balanced and healthy diet. Nutritional Balance: Eating only chicken may not provide a well-rounded nutritional profile.

What is the orange sauce at Chinese restaurants? ›

Duck sauce (or orange sauce) is a condiment with a sweet and sour flavor and a translucent orange appearance similar to a thin jelly. Offered at American Chinese restaurants, it is used as a dip for deep-fried dishes such as wonton strips, spring rolls, egg rolls, duck, chicken, fish, or with rice or noodles.

What is Panda Express orange chicken made of? ›

Ingredients: dark meat chicken, water, sugar, distilled vinegar, modified food starch, corn starch, potato starch, contains less than 2% of: wheat, orange extract, caramel color, salt, garlic, phosphoric acid, rice wine, sesame oil. *The dish uses a proprietary batter and sauce.

What does orange chicken sauce taste like? ›

Orange chicken is a popular item at Chinese restaurants. It consists of small cubes of chicken that are breaded, pan-fried, and coated in an orange sauce. The orange sauce is sweet with a little tang and a hint of spice. It's mainly known for its orange flavor (as you can guess from the name).

What is orange chicken from a Chinese restaurant? ›

Orange chicken is one of many iterations of Chinese takeout dishes that involve fried chicken pieces tossed with sauce. In this case, the sauce is a mix of soy sauce, water, and orange juice, plus some cornstarch thickener to make the sauce just thick enough to coat the chicken.

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