• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Meatloaf and Melodrama logo
  • Home
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
    • Collaborate
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
      • Collaborate
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Ingredients » Recipes » Chicken

    Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Mar 2, 2023 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 an easy meal with a delicious 3-ingredient sauce the whole family will love. than A quick dinner better than takeout!

    Jump to Recipe -
    orange chicken and jasmine rice in a white bowl with chopsticks
    Jump to:
    • 3 Ingredient Sauce
    • How to Make Orange Chicken with Orange Marmalade
    • What to Serve with Homemade Orange Chicken
    • How to Store and Reheat
    • Recipe Variations
    • Cooking Tips
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    If you're looking for an easy orange chicken recipe like you get at Chinese restaurants, 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 -- Panda Express -- and it's absolutely delicious!

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

    But, my kids were missing crispy orange chicken from their favorite Chinese restaurant, and I had to give it a try. After several tasty experiments, we found the right combo to make this easy meal. This easy recipe is a now a family favorite!

    If you love easy dinners, you may also like my Bourbon Street Chicken recipe or my crock pot Mississippi chicken recipe. You'll find more easy chicken recipes in the archives.

    closeup of orange chicken in 3 ingredient sauce with jasmine rice

    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, but you can also fine these in your grocery store!

    • Orange marmalade -- I use Smuckers orange marmalade, but any brand works
    • BBQ sauce -- I used Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce (original flavor)
    • Soy sauce -- I use low sodium soy sauce
    • Chicken breast -- boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces
    • Eggs -- to help bind the coating
    • Flour or cornstarch -- for the coating
    • Vegetable oil -- for frying chicken. Olive oil or avocado oil will also work
    beaten eggs, cubed chicken breasts and flour on the counter

    How to Make Orange Chicken with Orange Marmalade

    Dip the cubed chicken pieces 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 over medium-high heat 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 sweet orange sauce while the chicken is cooking, or beforehand. All you do is mix the marmalade, BBQ sauce and soy sauce in a small bowl until the sauce ingredients are well blended.

    Super easy! Sometimes, I'll throw in some garlic powder or red pepper 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 golden brown, add the orange sauce to the skillet. If you're cooking the chicken in batches, add all of it back to the pan.

    Let the chicken simmer on low heat to medium heat 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

    What to Serve with Homemade Orange Chicken

    We love serving orange chicken over white rice or brown rice to soak up that tangy orange sauce. Jasmine rice is a favorite! I make a big batch of Jasmine Rice in the Instant Pot or Instant Pot brown rice.

    You can also use cauliflower rice if you prefer that.

    Throw in a side dish of microwave green beans, microwave broccoli or mixed veggies and frozen egg rolls and dinner is served.

    orange chicken with marmalade and bbq sauce in a white bowl with rice

    How to Store and Reheat

    Store the leftover orange chicken in an airtight 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. Chinese orange chicken heats up easily in the microwave or on the stove.

    bowl of orange chicken pieces and rice on the table

    Recipe Variations

    Note: If you want to make this simple 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 made with fresh orange juice and orange zest, 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!

    For the absolute easiest orange chicken recipe, use frozen chicken nuggets or popcorn chicken instead of fresh for extra crispy chicken. Cook chicken according to package directions and mix with the homemade orange sauce.

    You can substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.

    Cooking Tips

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

    Don't crowd the chicken in the skillet. Work in batches so the chicken cooks evenly and faster. You can keep chicken warm on a baking sheet in the oven until all chicken is cooked if necessary.

    Drain the cooked chicken pieces on paper towels to remove excess grease before coating in sauce.

    Recipe

    bowl of orange chicken with orange marmalade sauce

    Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

    Published by Dee
    This Easy Orange Chicken Recipe with orange marmalade and BBQ sauce is an easy meal with a delicious 3-ingredient sauce the whole family will love. than A quick dinner better than takeout!
    5 from 11 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

    For the Chicken

    • Dip the chicken in the beaten eggs, shaking off excess egg, then lightly coat with flour
    • 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
    • Add the sauce to the pan, stir in the chicken, and heat over medium heat until thick and bubbling -- about 10 minutes. Serve immediately

    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!

    I hope you enjoy this orange chicken with orange marmalade and Sweet Baby Ray's as much as we do. The orange chicken sauce is amazing!

    If you do make this delicious meal, please leave a star rating and/or comment.

    For more easy recipes anyone can make, sign up for the weekly newsletter and follow along on social media.

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet

    More Chicken

    • crock pot buffalo chicken sandwiches with ranch dressing and celery sticks
      Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
    • crock pot chicken bacon ranch sandwiches ( crack chicken )on a plate with french fries
      Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches
    • lemon chicken piccata in creamy lemon butter sauce with white wine and capers
      Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe
    • crock pot Mississippi chicken with pepperoncini peppers over mashed potatoes
      Crock Pot Mississippi Chicken

    You May Also Like

    lemon chicken piccata in creamy lemon butter sauce with white wine and capers
    Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe
    grandma's one pan no peek chicken and rice on a black plate with parsley
    No Peek Chicken and Rice Recipe
    slow cooker teriyaki chicken with broccoli and rice on plate
    Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Review Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Ann says

      March 16, 2023 at 11:04 pm

      I absolutely love orange chicken and I really loved this recipe!5 stars

      Reply
    2. Betty says

      March 10, 2023 at 8:53 am

      Wow! Just like take out! Everyone loved it! Will be making this often!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Gideon says

      March 05, 2023 at 11:31 pm

      So delicious! Better than what I get at a restaurant5 stars

      Reply
    4. 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!

    5. Catalina says

      March 23, 2021 at 4:32 pm

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

      Reply
    6. Cathy says

      March 23, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      The sauce is perfection!!

      Reply
    7. 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
    8. betimicevska says

      March 23, 2021 at 10:38 am

      This was incredibly delicious! The perfect meal!5 stars

      Reply
    9. 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!

    10. 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
    11. 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!

    Primary Sidebar

    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 →

    Trending Recipes

    • baked breaded pork chops with panko bread crumbs and mashed potatoes on plate
      Baked Breaded Pork Chops
    • ground beef pasta, creamy shells and beef, in creamy tomato sauce in dutch oven
      Creamy Shells and Beef
    • Easter bunny bait snack mix with popcorn and candy in glass bowl
      Bunny Bait Snack Mix
    • easy strawberry jello fruit salad on plate
      Strawberry Jello Fruit Salad
    • baked kielbasa and sauerkraut in casserole dish with parsely
      Grandma's Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Recipe
    • no bake banana pudding with cool whip and nilla wafer cookies and sliced bananas
      Easy No Bake Banana Pudding
    • slices of grandma's nut roll with swirls walnut filling on a white platter
      Grandma's Nut Roll Recipe
    • easter lamb cake decorated with buttercream frosting, colored coconut and jelly beans
      The Best Easter Lamb Cake Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • All About Dee
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As Seen On

    as seen on buzzfeed delish country living forbes southern living

    Copyright © 2023 Meatloaf and Melodrama