Real orange chicken uses dried tangerine peel aged 3+ years—fresh orange zest creates bitter compounds that ruin the sauce.
High Protein Crispy Orange Chicken
Craving that beloved orange chicken but want to keep your fitness goals in check? Dive into our High Protein Crispy Orange Chicken! This zesty dish swaps traditional breading for a protein-packed crunch and bursts with fresh orange juice and zesty ginger, making it a guilt-free takeout delight you can whip up right at home!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- Tsp garlic
- Tsp ginger
- Tsp finely chopped green onion
- 150ml fresh orange juice (5.07 fl oz)
- Tsp orange zest
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 650g Diced Chicken breast (1.43 lbs)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 2 Tsp Honey (10 ml)
- 175g white rice (uncooked weight) (6.18 oz)
- 15ml white rice wine vinegar (0.51 fl oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- Tsp black pepper
- Tsp garlic powder
- Tsp paprika
- Tsp salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 30ml soy sauce (1.01 fl oz)
📦Other(3)
- 25g cornflour (for crispiness) (0.88 oz)
- 5g cornflour mixed with water (0.18 oz)
- Tsp finely chopped red chilli (optional if you don’t like spice)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
First off, get yourself four medium chicken breasts, dice them up, and add some color with the seasonings.
- 2
To get that crispy texture, add cornflour and mix until well-coated.
- 3
Cook the chicken in batches to get it extra crispy, then set it aside.
- 4
Make the sticky orange sauce by adding garlic, ginger, spring onions, and red chili in a pan and toast until fragrant.
- 5
Add soy sauce, fresh orange juice, cornflour mixed with water, rice wine vinegar, and orange zest.
- 6
Turn up the heat to get it bubbling, then simmer on low heat until thick.
- 7
Add the chicken back into the sauce and mix until coated.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Double-coat your chicken by dredging in cornflour, dipping in beaten egg, then coating again in cornflour mixed with 1 tsp baking powder per cup - this creates maximum surface area for crispiness through steam leavening.technique1 tsp baking powder per cup cornflour
- ✓Fry chicken at exactly 350°F and don't overcrowd the pan - maintain at least 2 inches between pieces so oil temperature doesn't drop below 325°F, which causes soggy coating.equipment350°F frying temp, 325°F minimum
- ✓Bloom your aromatics (garlic, ginger, chili) for exactly 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not brown - overcooked garlic becomes bitter and masks the orange flavor profile.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Mix your cornflour slurry at a 1:2 ratio (cornflour to cold water) and add it gradually while whisking - this prevents lumps and creates a glossy sauce that coats at exactly 185°F.technique1:2 ratio, 185°F coating temp
- ✓Add the fried chicken to sauce off the heat and toss for only 15-20 seconds - longer contact time makes the coating soggy as steam softens the cornflour crust.timing15-20 seconds
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Real orange chicken uses dried tangerine peel aged 3+ years—fresh orange zest creates bitter compounds that ruin the sauce.
High Protein Crispy Orange Chicken
Craving that beloved orange chicken but want to keep your fitness goals in check? Dive into our High Protein Crispy Orange Chicken! This zesty dish swaps traditional breading for a protein-packed crunch and bursts with fresh orange juice and zesty ginger, making it a guilt-free takeout delight you can whip up right at home!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- Tsp garlic
- Tsp ginger
- Tsp finely chopped green onion
- 150ml fresh orange juice (5.07 fl oz)
- Tsp orange zest
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 650g Diced Chicken breast (1.43 lbs)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 2 Tsp Honey (10 ml)
- 175g white rice (uncooked weight) (6.18 oz)
- 15ml white rice wine vinegar (0.51 fl oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- Tsp black pepper
- Tsp garlic powder
- Tsp paprika
- Tsp salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 30ml soy sauce (1.01 fl oz)
📦Other(3)
- 25g cornflour (for crispiness) (0.88 oz)
- 5g cornflour mixed with water (0.18 oz)
- Tsp finely chopped red chilli (optional if you don’t like spice)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
First off, get yourself four medium chicken breasts, dice them up, and add some color with the seasonings.
- 2
To get that crispy texture, add cornflour and mix until well-coated.
- 3
Cook the chicken in batches to get it extra crispy, then set it aside.
- 4
Make the sticky orange sauce by adding garlic, ginger, spring onions, and red chili in a pan and toast until fragrant.
- 5
Add soy sauce, fresh orange juice, cornflour mixed with water, rice wine vinegar, and orange zest.
- 6
Turn up the heat to get it bubbling, then simmer on low heat until thick.
- 7
Add the chicken back into the sauce and mix until coated.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Double-coat your chicken by dredging in cornflour, dipping in beaten egg, then coating again in cornflour mixed with 1 tsp baking powder per cup - this creates maximum surface area for crispiness through steam leavening.technique1 tsp baking powder per cup cornflour
- ✓Fry chicken at exactly 350°F and don't overcrowd the pan - maintain at least 2 inches between pieces so oil temperature doesn't drop below 325°F, which causes soggy coating.equipment350°F frying temp, 325°F minimum
- ✓Bloom your aromatics (garlic, ginger, chili) for exactly 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not brown - overcooked garlic becomes bitter and masks the orange flavor profile.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Mix your cornflour slurry at a 1:2 ratio (cornflour to cold water) and add it gradually while whisking - this prevents lumps and creates a glossy sauce that coats at exactly 185°F.technique1:2 ratio, 185°F coating temp
- ✓Add the fried chicken to sauce off the heat and toss for only 15-20 seconds - longer contact time makes the coating soggy as steam softens the cornflour crust.timing15-20 seconds