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Double Crunch Orange Chicken

Double crunch orange chicken with extra-crispy, double-dipped fried thighs coated in a vibrant, sticky orange sauce. The result is intensely citrusy, glossy, and lightly caramelized at the edges—served piled high over steamed rice.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 0.75 cup cornstarch
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1 Vegetable oil for frying
Orange sauce
  • 0.5 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 3 garlic minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water for slurry
  • 2 tbsp water

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Double-dip coating
  1. Mix cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, and salt and pepper in a bowl; set aside for dredging and keep an egg bowl ready for dipping.
  2. Dip the chicken pieces in beaten large eggs, then dredge in the flour mixture to coat thoroughly.
  3. Double-dip the coated chicken by dipping again in beaten large eggs, then dredging again in the flour mixture for maximum crunch.
Fry until deeply golden
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 375°F, then fry the double-dipped chicken for 5-6 minutes until deeply golden and cooked through.
  2. Drain the fried chicken on a sheet pan so it stays crisp while you finish the sauce.
Make the orange sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine fresh orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and sesame oil; bring to a boil.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and cook 2-3 minutes until thick and glossy.
Coat and serve
  1. Toss the crispy chicken in the orange sauce until evenly coated, then immediately pile over steamed rice.
  2. Finish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions on top and serve right away.

Notes

For the crunchiest coating, keep the oil at 375°F and fry in small batches so the temperature doesn’t drop. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days, but expect the crust to soften when reheated; reheat in an oven/air fryer for best texture. Freezing is not recommended for the best double-crisp results—sauce can be frozen separately. For a gluten-free option, swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free soy sauce.