Crispy Orange Chicken Recipe Tastes Like Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken (20 Minutes) by Donna John

I like to keep a bag of Trader Joe's mandarin orange chicken in the freezer for busy nights. But being someone who likes to cook things from scratch I thought, how hard could it be to make something similar from fresh ingredients? Not hard at all! Enter this 20-minute crispy orange chicken that tastes like Trader Joe's!

This easy fried orange chicken recipe is crispy, juicy and has a sweet and flavorful sauce. You cook the chicken, heat up the sauce ingredients together and combine the two. This Asian recipe is on the table in about 20 minutes.

Photo credit (all photos): Donna John

Chicken breasts are cut into bite-sized pieces and dredged in cornstarch and flour before being fried in a skillet until golden and crispy. The sweet and tangy orange sauce is made with orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger and orange zest. The sauce is thickened with a little cornstarch. The crispy chicken pieces are coated in the sauce and serve. So easy and tasty, and it is a high-protein recipe. (Check out the health benefits of protein.)

This orange chicken makes a quick and easy dinner served with your favorite side dishes.

Cuisine: Asian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 3 - 4

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup flour
• vegetable oil, for frying

Orange Sauce

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the chicken pieces into a bowl. Add the egg and mix well to coat. Add the cornstarch and flour. Mix well to coat. (Instead of chicken breasts, try this recipe with boneless chicken thighs.)
2. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat (about 350 degrees F). Fry the chicken in batches until cooked through and golden brown. Remove to a paper towel. (Make sure the oil is hot before frying the chicken. You could add in some chopped onion, red pepper or your favorite vegetables.)
3. To make the orange sauce, combine the orange juice, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger and orange zest in a saucepot. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. When it boils, mix together the cornstarch and water and pour into the sauce to thicken. 
4. Put the chicken into a serving dish. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
   

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