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Orange Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 70 reviews

This easy and flavorful Orange Chicken recipe combines juicy, pan-seared chicken pieces with a sticky, sweet orange marmalade and barbecue sauce glaze. Ready in just 35 minutes, it’s a perfect meal to enjoy on busy weeknights or serve at casual gatherings. The vibrant orange sauce clings beautifully to the tender chicken, delivering a delicious balance of tangy and savory flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Sauce

  • 18 ounce jar orange marmalade (Smucker’s brand)
  • ¾ cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Original barbecue sauce

Chicken

  • 2 pounds (approximately 3 large) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½ inch pieces and patted dry with paper towels
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided for pan searing)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Orange Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the orange marmalade and Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce until thoroughly combined. Set this mixture aside to use later.
  2. Heat the Skillet: Place a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Allow the oil to heat until shimmering, which ensures a good sear on the chicken.
  3. Cook Half the Chicken: Add half of the chicken pieces to the skillet, ensuring not to overcrowd them. Cook the chicken for 7-9 minutes, turning occasionally to brown all sides evenly, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken and transfer it to a plate.
  4. Cook Remaining Chicken: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Once hot, add the rest of the chicken pieces and cook for another 7-9 minutes, browning all sides and cooking through.
  5. Combine Chicken with Sauce: Return the first batch of cooked chicken along with any juices back into the skillet. Pour the prepared orange sauce mixture over the chicken.
  6. Simmer the Chicken in Sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Cook the chicken and sauce together for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Let the sauce reduce by nearly half and become thick enough to coat the chicken beautifully.
  7. Finish and Serve: Once the sauce is thickened and sticky, remove the skillet from heat. Serve the orange chicken immediately, garnished if desired.

Notes

  • Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
  • Freezing: Freeze the orange chicken (without rice) in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce if it has thickened too much after refrigeration.

Keywords: orange chicken, easy orange chicken recipe, sticky orange chicken, pan-seared chicken, orange marmalade chicken, barbecue sauce chicken

Find it online: https://busyrecipe.com/orange-chicken-recipe-2/