Description
The takeout classic made right at home, this Orange Chicken Stir Fry features lightly marinated chicken and loads of veggies in a homemade orange stir fry sauce.
It delivers all the craveable flavor of classic orange chicken, with the benefit of being an easy one-skillet and veggie-loaded dinner that comes together faster than the time it takes to order delivery. (All without the fuss and mess involved with at-home deep frying!).
Serve over rice for a quick, flavorful and completely homemade dinner–ready in 30 minutes or less. The perfect way to satisfy takeout cravings any night of the week!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, sliced into ½-inch strips (see Recipe Notes)
- 2 large orange, red or yellow bell peppers, sliced into ½-inch strips
- ½ medium yellow or red onion, peeled and sliced root to stem into ½-inch strips
- 3 green onions, sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or high smoke point vegetable oil of choice
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- for serving, as desired: white rice or grain of choice, thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, etc.
for the marinade:
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons sweet chili sauce
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon rice wine
- kosher salt and ground white pepper, to season
for the orange stir fry sauce:
- 1 cup orange juice
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 overflowing teaspoon soy sauce
- optional: up to ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and ground white pepper, to season
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Combine all listed marinade ingredients in a large bowl, seasoning with about ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ground white pepper as desired. Add the thinly sliced chicken strips, stirring to coat well. Set aside for at least 20 minutes – this is a great time to multitask by slicing the stir fry veggies and preparing the orange sauce (Step 2, below).
- Prepare the orange sauce: Meanwhile, as the chicken marinates, prepare the orange stir fry sauce. Add all listed sauce ingredients to a small bowl, seasoning with about ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ground white pepper as desired. Whisk to combine well, taking care to break up any lumps and bumps of cornstarch. Set aside for stir frying, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Stir fry the orange chicken and vegetables: Once the chicken is marinated, add the oil to a large wok or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully add the chicken to the skillet, shaking off and discarding any excess marinade. If needed, work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Stir fry 4-5 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer to a large bowl or plate and set aside. Add the bell peppers to the skillet, stir fry for about 1 minute, then add the onions and green onions and stir fry for 1 minute longer or until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Return the cooked chicken to the wok, stirring to combine.
- Finish the orange chicken stir fry: Reduce to medium-high heat and use a spatula or wooden spoon to push the stir-fried chicken and vegetables to the side of the pan, creating a well in the middle. Give the orange stir fry sauce a quick whisk, then pour it into the well. Cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds – 1 minute. Move the chicken and vegetables into the sauce, stirring to coat well. Finish with a good sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, then remove from the heat.
- Serve immediately, spooning the orange chicken stir fry over rice or leafy green lettuce for wraps. Finish with thinly sliced green onions and additional toasted sesame seeds as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Jess’ Tips and Tricks:
- Chicken thighs vs chicken breasts: We prefer using boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this stir fry recipe since they’re flavorful and stay really nice and juicy through cooking, but you can certainly use chicken breasts if you prefer. If so, you may wish to try cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces vs thin strips, which should help prevent drying to some extent. Adjust cook times as necessary to ensure the chicken is cooked through.
- 20-Minute Meal Prep: As is the case with any stir fry, there’s a bit of measuring and chopping required with this orange chicken stir fry recipe, which is where all of the active prep time comes from – the cooking process itself is very quick! If you’d like, you can do a little prep ahead of time to cut down on active work required at dinnertime. Pick and choose from the list below, or prep it all beforehand, and all you have to do at dinnertime is get cooking – easy!
- Slice the chicken: Thinly slice the chicken thighs or breasts and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (5 minutes active prep)
- Chop the veggies: Thinly slice 2 large bell peppers and ½ medium onion. Store in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)
- Prep the orange stir fry sauce: Mix the stir fry sauce according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (5 minutes active time)
Storage and Reheating:
- This orange chicken stir fry is best enjoyed fresh, immediately after cooking. Leftovers will keep if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, just until warmed through.