If you love orange chicken and teriyaki chicken, you are going to absolutely love this orange teriyaki chicken. This recipe takes the best flavors from each and combines them into something unique and amazing.
Crispy golden chicken pieces are tossed in a sweet, tangy, homemade orange teriyaki sauce that’s packed with fresh citrus flavor and just the right amount of savory goodness. And it’s all straight from your kitchen!
If you love Asian-inspired recipes, be sure to check out my sweet and sour chicken, orange chicken, and chicken lo mein.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than takeout
- Crispy, golden fried chicken
- Fresh homemade orange sauce
- Easy weeknight dinner
- Sweet, savory, and slightly tangy flavor
- Family-friendly recipe
- Perfect served over rice or noodles
Key Ingredients
I’ve included the most important ingredients here. You can find the full list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken Breasts: They provide a hearty, protein-packed base and soak up all that sweet, tangy orange sauce.
- Orange Juice & Orange Zest: The juice adds sweetness and tang, while the zest brings a fresh orange aroma that really makes the dish pop.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the foundation of the sauce and helps balance the sweetness of the orange and sugar.
- Teriyaki Sauce: Adds savory, slightly salty depth that keeps the sauce from tasting overly sweet and gives it that classic takeout-style flavor.
- Rice Vinegar: Brings acidity that balances the sweetness and creates a well-rounded sauce.
- Slap Ya Mama Seasoning: Adds an extra layer of flavor with a subtly spicy kick.
Variations
- Make It Spicy: Add extra red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha to the sauce for more heat.
- Orange Teriyaki Chicken Wings: Swap the chicken breast chunks for chicken wings and bake or fry them before tossing with the sauce.
- Make It Lighter: Skip the frying and bake the breaded chicken pieces in the oven or air fryer.
- Add a Tropical Twist: Add pineapple chunks to the finished dish for a tropical twist.
- Orange Teriyaki Shrimp: Substitute shrimp for chicken and reduce cooking time accordingly.
- Sesame Orange Chicken: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the finished dish for extra flavor and texture.
How to Make Orange Teriyaki Chicken
A brief overview of the recipe is here, but you’ll find the complete instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Step 1: Mix the marinade ingredients, then pour ½ cup into a baggie with the chicken chunks. Seal and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Step 2: Mix the dry coating ingredients in a baggie and whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. Next, coat the chicken pieces in the egg. Then, toss them in the flour.
- Step 3: Fry in batches until golden brown. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Step 4: Mix the sauce with the reserved marinade and the sauce ingredients, and bring to a gentle boil. Add a cornstarch slurry, and cook until thickened.
- Step 5: Pour the sauce over the chicken, toss, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Freshly squeezed orange juice makes a huge difference in flavor and gives the sauce a bright, natural citrus taste.
- Frying too many pieces at once lowers the oil temperature and prevents the chicken from getting crispy.
- Work in batches to keep the oil around 375° throughout cooking for perfectly crispy chicken.
- For the crispiest texture, toss the chicken with the sauce right before serving.
- You can prepare the sauce a day in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook.
Orange Teriyaki Chicken FAQs
Absolutely. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work wonderfully and often stay even juicier than chicken breasts.
Yes. For a lighter version, bake the breaded chicken in the oven or air-fry it until crispy before tossing it with the sauce.
Fry the chicken in small batches, keep the oil temperature around 375°F, and coat it with the sauce just before serving.
30 minutes to a couple of hours is the sweet spot for getting juicy, flavorful chicken that isn’t mealy. Marinate chunks for less time than large pieces like breasts or thighs.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes. Freeze the cooked chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Keep in mind the chicken may lose some of its crispiness after refrigeration.
Great Sides for Your Orange Chicken
If you try this recipe and love it, please be sure to leave a 5 ★★★★★ rating below and leave a comment! You can also pin it to your favorite Pinterest boards and save it for later.
Also, follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Remember to “like” or “follow” us on all social media.
Orange Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
For The Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Slap Ya Mama® seasoning
- 2 eggs
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil
- ¼ tsp sesame oil
For The Sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- orange zest from one large orange
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup Teriyaki sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 4 Tbsp water
Instructions
For The Chicken
- Start out by cutting chicken into 1 inch chunks and place in a large resealable baggie.
- Once the sauce has been mixed together, add ½ cup of cold sauce mixture into the baggie with the chicken. Seal and gently shake to coat the chicken. Place chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the liquid (before adding to eggs).
- Next, using an electric skillet or large frying pan, heat oil and sesame oil to 375°.
- Scoop flour into another large resealable baggie and add pepper and Slap Ya Mama® seasoning. Seal, shake to mix.
- Whisk eggs together in a shallow bowl and add half the chicken chunks to the bowl with the egg mixture. Stir to coat, then place chicken pieces into baggie with flour mixture. Shake to coat.
- Remove chicken pieces from flour and carefully place 8-10 pieces at a time into the skillet or frying pan. (Do not put too many pieces at a time into the oil because that will change the temperature of the oil and chicken will not be crispy.)
- Deep fry chicken until golden brown then flip over and brown other side until internal temperature reaches 165°, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
- Remove cooked chicken and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
For The Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, add chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, rice vinegar, sugar, Teriyaki sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper. Stir, (½ cup has already been removed and had been added to baggie with chicken.)
- Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, mix corn starch and water together. Add mixture to sauce and heat over low/medium heat until sauce thickens up.
- Pour sauce over chicken, stir to coat and serve over rice.
Notes
- Freshly squeezed orange juice makes a huge difference in flavor and gives the sauce a bright, natural citrus taste.
- Frying too many pieces at once lowers the oil temperature and prevents the chicken from getting crispy.
- Work in batches to keep the oil around 375° throughout cooking for perfectly crispy chicken.
- For the crispiest texture, toss the chicken with the sauce right before serving.
- You can prepare the sauce a day in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook.
Nutrition
Have Pinterest?
Here are a few pics that are the perfect size for pinning to Pinterest.
Enjoy, Terri
Copyright © Great Grub, Delicious Treats. All content and images are copyright protected. Do not use any images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, make sure to re-write the recipe in your own words and only list ingredients making sure to link back to this post for the original recipe and directions
