Baked Orange Chicken
Crispy baked chicken thighs coated in a sweet and tangy orange sauce with ginger and garlic.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons rice wine (or substitute white wine)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (reserve zest from orange)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 10 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
Chicken
Preheat Oven and Grind Panko:
Set oven to 400°F (205°C). Process panko in a food processor until finely ground, resembling standard breadcrumbs.Set Up Breading Station:
Arrange four bowls: one containing ground panko, one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with chicken cut into bite-sized pieces.Bread Chicken Pieces:
Coat each chicken piece first in flour, then egg, then panko; transfer to a baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking oil or brush with vegetable oil.Bake Chicken:
Bake for 20–25 minutes. While chicken cooks, prepare the sauce.
Sauce
Sauté Aromatics:
In a saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sauté for 30 seconds until aromatic.Finish Sauce and Combine:
Add the rest of the sauce components (cornstarch, rice wine, orange juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, orange zest). Bring to a boil and cook until sauce thickens, then remove from heat. Once chicken is baked, combine with sauce and serve immediately.