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Double Crunch Orange Chicken

Double crunch orange chicken made with double-dipped, extra-crispy fried chicken pieces coated in a vibrant sticky orange sauce. Intensely citrusy with a slightly caramelized edge, piled over steamed rice with a glossy finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 0.75 cup cornstarch
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
  • 2 eggs large, beaten
  • 0.25 vegetable oil for frying
Orange sauce
  • 0.5 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 3 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp water

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Double-dip the chicken
  1. In a large bowl, mix cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  2. Dip the chicken pieces into beaten eggs so they’re fully coated.
  3. Dredge the egg-coated chicken in the flour mixture until coated, then shake off excess.
  4. Double-dip the coated chicken back into the eggs, then dredge again in the flour mixture for maximum crunch.
Fry until deeply golden
  1. Heat vegetable oil to 375°F in a Dutch oven or deep cast iron skillet.
  2. Fry the chicken at 375°F for 5-6 minutes until deeply golden and cooked through, then drain on a sheet pan.
Make the sticky orange sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the cornstarch slurry.
  3. Cook for 2-3 minutes until thick and glossy, stirring to keep the sauce smooth.
Coat and serve
  1. Toss the hot crispy chicken in the orange sauce until evenly coated and shiny.
  2. Serve over steamed rice with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For the crunch, fry in small batches and keep the oil at 375°F—if the oil temperature drops, the coating can turn pale or soft. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a 400°F oven until warmed and re-crisped. Freezing isn’t recommended because the double-crisp coating loses texture after thawing. If you want a lighter option, bake after coating instead of frying (texture will be less shatter-crisp).