Orange Chicken Sauce Recipe

Panda orange chicken is a widely popular dish. The tangy and savory flavor of the orange chicken sauce compliments the crispy chicken perfectly. But preparing the authentic orange chicken sauce is a secret.

We have come with a recipe to tell you the secret sauce recipe. After reading this article, you can make the best orange chicken sauce at home. You will learn a 4-step process for easy orange chicken sauce. 

Moreover, we will provide you a healthier version of the homemade orange chicken sauce at the end of this article. So, don’t miss the end at all. Now, let’s dive into the details.

What is Orange Chicken Sauce Made Of? (Core Ingredients)

The key ingredient of sweet and tangy orange sauce is the freshly squeezed orange juice. To create an amazing flavor profile, you will require some other ingredients. The core ingredients include;

1. Fresh Orange – 2 pieces
2. Sugar – 1/3 cup
3. Soy Sauce – 2 tablespoons
4. Rice Vinegar – 2 tablespoons
5. Sesame oil – 1 tablespoon (Other cooking oil can also be used) 
6. Minced Garlic – 2 cloves
7. Minced Ginger – 1 teaspoon
8. Red Pepper Flakes – ½ teaspoon
9. Cornstarch – 1 tablespoon
10. Water – ¼ cup (To make the cornstarch slurry)
11. Chopped Green Onion for garnishing

How to Make Orange Chicken Sauce from Scratch?

You need a proper guideline to prepare authentic orange chicken sauce. Do follow our steps to get a proper guideline with useful suggestions.

Step 1: Prepare the Orange Juice

Fresh orange juice is a secret ingredient of this sweet-and-sour sauce. You can easily prepare the juice at home. 

• Take two oranges and wash them nicely.
• Now, take a bowl and squeeze the orange to release the juice.
• You will get approximately 1 cup of orange juice from 2 fresh oranges.

Tip 1: Using an orange squeezer machine will help you to do this step rapidly and effortlessly.

Tip 2: There are various types of oranges. We recommend using mandarin to prepare the mandarin chicken sauce, similar to Panda Express. 

Step 2: Make the Orange Sauce

After preparing the orange juice, the main process of making sticky orange stir-fry sauce starts.

• Take a frying pan and heat sesame oil over medium to low heat.
• Add minced garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. Chili flakes are mandatory to make spicy orange chicken sauce. 
• Sauté them until the garlic and ginger become golden brown. Stir throughout the sautéing process. 
• Then, add the sugar and stir nicely.
• While the sugar starts to melt, add the orange juice and mix properly to dissolve the sugar.
•   Now, add soy sauce and rice vinegar to get the perfect taste of Asian-inspired sauce.
• Simmer the sauce for a few minutes and stir continuously. 

Step 3: Thicken the Sauce

The citrus chicken glaze is almost ready. Now, you need to thicken the sauce.

• Take a bowl and put some corn starch into the bowl.
• Then, add water at a 1:2 ratio. That means two parts water for 1 part cornstarch.
• Mix it nicely.
• The cornstarch slurry is ready.
• Add the slurry to the sauce and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Don’t forget to stir occasionally. 

Step 4: Serve the Sauce

The orange sauce for the chicken stir-fry is ready. It’s time to serve the sauce with crispy chicken.

• Put the already prepared crispy chicken into the pan of the orange sauce.
• Toss the chicken with the sauce.
• Put a little sesame oil and green onion to garnish the orange chicken.
• Now, transfer the yummy chicken recipe with the orange chicken sauce into a bowl from the frying pan.
• Finally, you can enjoy a delicious meal.

How to Make Orange Chicken Sauce without Sugar or Cornstarch?

Though the tangy and sweet orange chicken sauce tastes heavenly, the excess amount of sugar makes it unhealthy. If you’re a health-conscious person, this healthy version will make you extremely happy.

You can have this tangy orange dipping sauce without any guilt if you can prepare the sauce with suggestions from our experts. After experimenting with ingredients, we have discovered a healthy version that retains the authentic taste.

You just need to use substitute ingredients of sugar and cornstarch to prepare the healthy orange chicken sauce. All the ingredients are the same, and the preparation process is similar to the authentic orange chicken sauce.  

• You can use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar. Additionally, you should reduce the amount of sweetening agents to make a healthy version.
• You can use chia seeds or ground flaxseed as a substitute for cornstarch. These substitute thickening ingredients are healthier than cornstarch.  

Conclusion

Whether you are craving sweet or tangy flavors, the orange chicken sauce can fulfill both of your cravings at the same time. Thus, you can learn the recipe to prepare homemade orange chicken glaze.

Additionally, if you can’t consume the delicious orange chicken sauce for health reasons, we have solved your problem by giving a healthy version of this sauce recipe.

So! Why are you wasting time? Go to the kitchen and make the sauce to enjoy a great meal. Stay connected with us for more useful recipes.   

FAQs

Best Ways to Use Orange Chicken Sauce?

• Stir-fry

You can use the orange chicken sauce as a stir fry sauce to toss crispy chicken, roasted vegetables, and protein in a hot pot. 

• Dipping sauce

The tangy orange chicken sauce will be a perfect sauce to enjoy with fries. You just need to dip the fries into the sauce and enjoy the delicious fries.

• Glazing

You can use the orange chicken sauce as a glaze for grilled chicken, pork, or fish. 

• Marinade

Marinating meat, fish, or vegetables with the orange chicken sauce will be an interesting use of the sauce. 

How to Thicken or Thin the Orange Chicken Sauce?

• To thicken the sauce;

•  You can use cornstarch slurry
• Chia seeds or ground flaxseeds
• Increase simmering time
• Adding vegetable puree

• To thin the sauce;

• Add extra water
• Add extra orange juice
• Add more vinegar
• Add more soy sauce
• Add lemon juice 

Can You Make Orange Chicken Sauce Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make orange chicken sauce ahead of time. Preparing the sauce in advance will provide deeper flavors. You have to maintain a proper storage method to make the sauce ahead of time.

• Keep the sauce in an airtight container to refrigerate the sauce. Refrigeration may give a week of shelf life.
• Freezing will be another storage method to increase the shelf life up to 3 months. Put the sauce into a freezer-safe bag or jar, then put it into a freezer.
•  You should level the container or jar with the date of preparing the recipe to calculate the shelf life.