Baked Orange Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken glazed in a sweet, tangy homemade orange sauce with ginger and soy — a lighter takeout-inspired dinner.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.75 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
02 - Salt and pepper, to taste
03 - 2 tbsp cornstarch

→ Orange Sauce

04 - 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
05 - 2 tbsp orange zest
06 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
07 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
08 - 3 tbsp honey or brown sugar
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
11 - 1 tsp sesame oil
12 - 1 tsp chili flakes (optional, for heat)

→ Garnishes

13 - 2 green onions, sliced
14 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
15 - Orange slices (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then toss with cornstarch to coat evenly.
03 - Arrange coated chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
04 - While the chicken bakes, combine orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey (or brown sugar), garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and chili flakes in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
05 - Transfer baked chicken to a large bowl. Pour the orange sauce over and toss to coat thoroughly.
06 - Return the sauced chicken to the oven for an additional 5–7 minutes until caramelized.
07 - Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and orange slices if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice or vegetables.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Baking instead of frying means you get all the sticky sweet tang of takeout without the heavy oil splatter on your stove.
  • The orange sauce doubles as a glaze and a dipping sauce so nothing on the plate feels dry or forgotten.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day which means lunch is already handled before you even think about it.
02 -
  • Do not skip the cornstarch coating because it is the only thing standing between you and sad soggy baked chicken that the sauce slides right off of.
  • If your sauce does not thicken in the saucepan give it another two minutes and resist the urge to crank the heat because scorched orange sauce is bitter and there is no coming back from it.
03 -
  • For an irresistibly crispy finish switch your oven to broil for the last two minutes and watch it like a hawk because the line between caramelized and charred is razor thin.
  • Let the sauce cool for one minute before tossing with the chicken because a slightly rested sauce clings better and coats more evenly than a bubbling one.

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