Copycat Orange Chicken (with Video)
A lip-smacking Homemade Orange Chicken recipe that is sweet, sour and savory – the perfect take-out fake-out. This homemade orange chicken is cheaper, easier and faster than ordering take-out – and dare I say, just as flavorful?
Easy Orange Chicken Recipe
With chicken breasts being so expensive recently, I’ve tried my best to transform cheaper cuts of chicken into delicious meals. My most recent success was this easy orange chicken recipe made with ground chicken that I served for a get-together with some friends and their kids.
I didn’t set out to make a copycat Cheesecake Factory recipe with this orange chicken – truth be told, I’ve only been there twice in my entire life. But when I served this recipe up to my friends they swore up and down that it tasted exactly like their favorite Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken, and after reading through the ingredients and description on their website, it sounds like it just might be!
This easy orange chicken recipe is sweet, sour and savoury – with just a subtle hint of spice, featuring a mouth-watering sauce that coats the crispy, tender chicken. For a bigger hit of spice, you can increase the red chile flakes or add sriracha sauce.
One big difference between my orange chicken recipe and many others is that this recipe is not deep fried, so it does lack the profound crunch of some other recipes – but if you really want that crunchy texture, you can coat the ground chicken in 1-2 Tablespoons of cornstarch and fry it before adding the orange sauce.
According to my research, ground chicken is more often found at local Mom and Pop Chinese-American or Chinese-Canadian restaurants. Big chains like Cheesecake Factory and Panda Express tend to use fried chicken breasts or thighs.
What to Serve with Orange Chicken:
- Jasmine Rice
- Cauliflower Rice
- Fried Rice
- Chow Mein
- Crispy Sauteed or Roasted Veggies
How to freeze orange chicken? This recipe can be frozen in two ways. My preferred way is to freeze the sauce without the chicken. The sauce will last for up to six months frozen in a ziptop freezer bag or your favorite freezer containers. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.) However, you can freeze the cooked orange chicken and store for up to a month. Thaw completely before reheating.
Is orange chicken an authentic Chinese dish? Not really. In the Hunan province of China, orange and tangerine trees are prevalent and used often to flavor dishes, but orange chicken as most North Americans know it is based on a recipe created in 1987 by Panda Express’s Executive Chef, Andy Kao, who was based in Hawaii, born in Taiwan and trained in traditional French cooking. He is credited with many of the chain’s most loved favorite dishes.
More Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipes:
- Copycat Cheesecake Factory Bloody Mary Recipe
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Chicken Quesadilla
- Instant Pot Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake from The Soccer Mom Blog
- Cheesecake S’mores from The Cheesecake Factory Official Website
Be sure to check out our step-by-step video to see how to make this easy orange chicken recipe at home – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe card:
Orange Chicken Ingredients
- Olive Oil, as needed
- Ground Chicken
- Orange Marmalade
- BBQ Sauce
- Ground Ginger
- Red Chile Flakes, or more to taste
- Minced Garlic
- Sesame Oil
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Seeds, optional garnish
- Green Onions, optional garnish
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: if you desire a crispier chicken, sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons of cornstarch onto the ground chicken before cooking.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Cast Iron Skillet <– I love the versatility of a good cast-iron pan – you can make everything from eggs to dessert in them and they transition easily from the stove to the oven. This one is pre-seasoned and great for even heating
- Small Bowl
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
How to Make Orange Chicken at Home
In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
Once hot, add the ground chicken and cook until no longer pink, using a spatula to break it up occasionally. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine orange marmalade, bbq sauce, ginger, red chile flakes, minced garlic, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce.
Once the chicken is fully cooked, add the marmalade mixture. Stir to coat and allow mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes until reduced by half and the mixture resembles a thick glaze, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust, as desired.
Serve garnished with sesame seeds or sliced green onions.
Pin this Homemade Orange Chicken recipe for the next time you’re craving take-out:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our easy orange chicken recipe:
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Easy Homemade Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, as needed
- 1lb Ground Chicken
Orange Chicken Sauce:
- 1 cup Orange Marmalade
- 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Chile Flakes, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 2 teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
Optional Orange Chicken Garnishes:
- Sesame Seeds, optional garnish
- Green Onions, optional garnish
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
- Once hot, add the ground chicken and cook until no longer pink, using a spatula to break it up occasionally. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine orange marmalade, bbq sauce, ginger, red chile flakes, minced garlic, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, add the marmalade mixture. Stir to coat and allow mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes until reduced by half and the mixture resembles a thick glaze, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust, as desired.
- Serve garnished with sesame seeds or sliced green onions.
Notes
Tip: if you desire a crispier chicken, sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons of cornstarch onto the ground chicken before cooking.
How to freeze orange chicken: This recipe can be frozen in two ways. My preferred way is to freeze the sauce without the chicken. The sauce will last for up to six months in the freezer. You can alternatively freeze the cooked orange chicken and store up to a month. Thaw completely before reheating.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 557Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 640mgCarbohydrates: 70gFiber: 2gSugar: 60gProtein: 29g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves this easy orange chicken recipe as much as mine does!
For more ways to enjoy chicken, check out our full chicken recipe collection here:
