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Double Crunch Orange Chicken

Double crunch orange chicken with extra-crispy double-dipped fried chicken and a vibrant, sticky orange sauce. Intensely citrusy with slightly caramelized edges, piled over steamed rice for a homemade orange chicken takeout-style finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 950
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Double-dipped chicken coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 0.75 cup cornstarch
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
  • 2 eggs Beaten.
  • vegetable oil For frying.
Orange sauce
  • 0.5 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.3333 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch Mixed with 2 tbsp water for slurry.
  • 2 tbsp water For slurry.
Serving
  • steamed rice
  • sesame seeds
  • green onions Sliced.

Equipment

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

Method
 

Double-dip and fry the chicken
  1. Mix cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into an even dredge.
  2. Dip each bite-sized chicken piece in the beaten eggs, letting excess drip off.
  3. Dredge the egg-coated chicken in the flour mixture.
  4. Double-dip by returning the coated chicken to the beaten eggs, then back into the flour mixture for maximum crunch.
  5. Heat vegetable oil to 375°F.
  6. Fry the chicken at 375°F for 5-6 minutes until deeply golden and cooked through, watching for a crisp, darker crust.
  7. Remove to a rack or sheet pan to drain so the coating stays crisp.
Make the sticky orange sauce
  1. Combine fresh orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil in a saucepan.
  2. Bring the sauce to a boil, then keep stirring until the sugar dissolves and the color looks glossy and vivid.
  3. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes, until thick, glossy, and lightly caramelized around the edges.
Coat, serve, and garnish
  1. Toss the fried chicken in the orange sauce until every piece is evenly coated and shiny.
  2. Serve over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: double-dip in egg and flour right before frying so the coating sets fast and stays extra crunchy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in an oven or air-fryer to regain crispness. Freezing is not recommended for the fully sauced chicken, but you can freeze extra fried chicken (unsauced) and re-fry/oven-crisp before tossing in sauce. For a gluten-free option, swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend and use tamari instead of soy sauce.