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    Ingredients » Recipes

    Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Mar 18, 2021 · Modified: Apr 20, 2021 by Dee

    This Easy Orange Chicken Recipe with orange marmalade and BBQ sauce is simple, delicious and tastes better than takeout. A quick dinner ready in 30 minutes! via @meamel

    This Easy Orange Chicken Recipe with orange marmalade and BBQ sauce is simple, delicious and tastes better than takeout. A quick dinner ready in 30 minutes!

    Jump to Recipe -
    orange chicken with marmalade and bbq sauce in a white bowl with rice

    If you're looking for a simple and super easy chicken recipe for dinner, this one's for you. This is the easiest recipe for orange chicken on the planet. It tastes like the kind you get from your favorite Chinese takeout, and it's absolutely delicious!

    I've been seeing 3 ingredient orange chicken on Pinterest for so long. I couldn't believe that sauce made with orange marmalade and BBQ sauce would taste like the real deal.

    But, my kids were missing orange chicken from their favorite takeout place, and I had to give it a try. After several tasty experiments, we found the right combo. You guys, we just love this easy recipe!

    3 Ingredient Sauce

    You only need a few ingredients to for this homemade orange chicken recipe. Best of all, you probably have everything you need in your pantry!

    • Orange marmalade
    • BBQ sauce -- I used Sweet Baby Ray's original
    • Soy sauce -- I use low sodium
    • Chicken breasts -- cut into small pieces
    • Eggs
    • Flour or cornstarch
    • Vegetable oil
    beaten eggs, cubed chicken breasts and flour on the counter

    Note: If you want to make this recipe even easier, you can skip the egg/flour/cornstarch step. My kids prefer the texture of the chicken coated with flour, so that's what I do.

    They love my Instant Pot Orange Chicken, but they like the texture of this recipe better.It's really not hard, and it doesn't take much longer this way. But, it is a lot messier! Just saying.

    How to Make Easy Orange Chicken

    First, have all of your ingredients out and ready to go. It makes the process go much faster.

    Dip the cubed chicken into the beaten egg. Then, shake off the excess egg, and lightly coat the chicken in the flour.

    I use a wok, so I like to cook the chicken in batches so that they brown evenly. If you're using a large skillet, you can probably cook it all in one batch.

    brown cubed chicken in wok

    Make the orange sauce while the chicken is cooking, or beforehand. All you do is mix the marmalade, BBQ sauce and soy sauce until well blended.

    Super easy! Sometimes, I'll throw in some garlic powder or red chili flakes for extra flavor. But, you really don't need anything more.

    orange marmalade and BBQ sauce in a mixing bowl

    When the chicken is browned, add the sauce to the skillet. If you're cooking the chicken in batches, add all of it back to the pan.

    Let the chicken simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is nice and thick. Stir the sauce to make sure it doesn't get too thick.

    If it does, you can add a little orange juice, chicken broth or water to thin it out. And that's it!

    chicken in orange marmalade bbq sauce on the stove

    Easy Side Dishes

    We love serving orange chicken over rice. I make a big batch of Jasmine Rice in the Instant Pot. Brown rice works, too.

    Throw in a side dish of air fryer broccoli, microwave broccoli or mixed veggies, and dinner is served.

    orange chicken and jasmine rice in a white bowl with chopsticks

    How to Store the Chicken

    Store the leftover orange chicken in a tightly covered container in the fridge. It should keep for up to 4 days if there's any left!

    For longer storage, freeze the leftovers for later. It heats up easily in the microwave or on the stove.

    bowl of orange chicken pieces and rice on the table
    bowl of orange chicken with orange marmalade bbq sauce on the table with rice

    Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

    Published by Dee
    This Easy Orange Chicken Recipe with orange marmalade and BBQ sauce is quick, simple and delicious. Tastes better than takeout and budget friendly!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine American, Asian
    Servings 6
    Calories 504 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
    • 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil use more if needed

    For the Sauce

    • 1 cup orange marmalade
    • 1 cup BBQ sauce we use Sweet Baby Rays original
    • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

    Instructions
     

    For the Sauce

    • Mix the orange marmalade, BBQ sauce and soy sauce in a small mixing bowl
      bbq sauce, orange marmalade and soy sauce in mixing bowl

    For the Chicken

    • Dip the chicken in the beaten eggs, shaking off excess egg, then lightly coat with flour
      cut chicken breasts with beaten eggs and flour in pans
    • In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil, and cook the chicken over medium high heat until lightly brown and slightly crisp. If cooking in batches, remove each batch to a plate, cover and keep warm
      cook chicken dredged in flour egg wash in skillet
    • Add the sauce to the pan, stir in the chicken, and heat over medium heat until thick and bubbling -- about 10 minutes. Serve immediately
      cubed chicken breasts in orange sauce in wok

    Notes

    You can use cornstarch instead of flour, although the texture will be slightly different. You can also skip coating the chicken in flour and egg, and just brown the chicken first, although the texture won't be the same.
    For extra spice, add hot pepper flakes. For extra seasoning add 1 teaspoon garlic powder or salt and pepper, to taste.
     

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 504kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 35gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 873mgPotassium: 722mgFiber: 1gSugar: 48gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jim says

      April 01, 2021 at 3:14 pm

      Made this for dinner last night. Awesome flavor and the kids loved it too.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 01, 2021 at 5:36 pm

        Thanks, Jim! Glad you liked the orange chicken!

    2. Catalina says

      March 23, 2021 at 4:32 pm

      Such a flavorful and delicious chicken recipe! Love Asian flavors!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Cathy says

      March 23, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      The sauce is perfection!!

      Reply
    4. Allyson Zea says

      March 23, 2021 at 10:53 am

      Wow this looks so good, and making it in the instant pot looks amazing! I can't wait to make this for dinner5 stars

      Reply
    5. betimicevska says

      March 23, 2021 at 10:38 am

      This was incredibly delicious! The perfect meal!5 stars

      Reply
    6. katerina says

      March 23, 2021 at 10:36 am

      Such a fantastic dish!! Everyone loved it so much!!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 26, 2021 at 10:04 pm

        That's wonderful. Thank you so much!

    7. Dorothy Reinhold says

      March 22, 2021 at 5:58 pm

      I am loving the three ingredient sauce! My kids are going to LOVE this meal.

      Reply
    8. Jen says

      March 22, 2021 at 12:28 pm

      I love how easy this is to get on the table without losing any of the flavor. My whole family loved it.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 23, 2021 at 11:48 am

        So happy to hear this, Jen. Thanks!

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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

    More about me →

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